Kemari keeps on to hit the target in Fred Archer

Simon Milham
July 1, 2023 12:57 pm

New London runs promising race in third on return to action.

Kemari went one better than 12 months ago to give Charlie Appleby back-to-back victories in the Cavani Menswear Sartorial Sprint Fred Archer Stakes at Newmarket.

Without a win since the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot in 2021, the son of Dubawi had to settle for second behind stablemate Rebel’s Romance last year and was again donning the white hat reserved for the Godolphin second string as fellow Moulton Paddocks challenger New London was sent off the 11-10 favourite.

James Doyle had Kemari hot on the tail of the pace-setting 2021 winner Outbox throughout the early stages of the 12-furlong contest and made his move aboard the 7-1 chance to join Outbox passing the four-furlong pole, just as William Buick was beginning to get busy aboard the returning St Leger runner-up New London.

Although New London refused to lie down and was staying on all the way to the line, it was quickly clear Outbox and Kemari had this race to fight out between them and having edged to the lead inside the final furlong, the five-year-old kept on gamely in the closing stages as he came home half a length clear, with New London a further neck adrift in third.

Appleby said: “It is nice to see him get his head back in front for the first time in two years. Bless this horse. He has not missed a beat all year – he’s led them all.

“I said to James, he is a horse who has been forward-going anyway, ride your own race but don’t forget you are on a fit horse. James gave him a great ride and he has got that sort of race in him – that’s his level, Listed or Group Three.

“With New London, I’m pleased with that run. He’s had a good blow and he will come forward from that. William said it is nice ground out there, but he’d like a bit more juice in the ground. He’s a Manduro and we know the family want cut in the ground.

“It has always been our plan to have a second-half of the season campaign, so that’s why we purposely didn’t go down the Hardwicke route, because I thought that is a tough race to go into, you are taking on Group One horses there.

“We saw it last year when I campaigned Hurricane Lane that way. As I say, you learn by your mistakes! That’s what I am doing.”