Cemhaan

Cemhaan did well to win the one-mile-six-furlong handicap at Newmarket on Sunday as well as he did, given how keenly he travelled for most of the race. He raced in third place from early behind Golden Flame and Soapy Stephens, but he didn’t really drop the bridle until they raced inside the four-furlong marker. It was at that point that Hollie Doyle allowed him his head, and he moved up nicely on the outside of the leaders. He picked up well when his rider asked him to, he hit the front at the two-furlong marker, and he stayed on well from there, coming away from his rivals inside the final furlong to win, eased down, by two and a half lengths.

It was an impressive performance by George Baker’s horse. Winner of a one-mile novice stakes as a three-year-old on all-weather when he was with John Gosden, he didn’t win again until he won a one-mile-six-furlong handicap on soft ground at Salisbury last September. He was impressive in winning on fast ground over a mile and a half at Salisbury on his debut this season, and this was a nice step forward from that, racing under his 5lb penalty. He sees out this one-mile-six-furlong trip well and, while he is effective too over a mile and a half, this is a good trip for him, and he should be able to do even better over this trip if he can learn to settle a little better. His trainer mentioned the 12-furlong handicap at Epsom on Derby weekend as an option now, and that would be interesting. He has finished second twice in two runs at Epsom over a mile and a half. He is versatile in terms of ground too, and he will be of interest wherever he goes now.
Newmarket, 1^st May 2022