Minhad

The first breakthrough arrived at Newmarket on 17 May 2025, where Minhad won a Class 2 race — one of the top races in Britain. For a horse that had been winless coming into that day, landing a race at that level, at one of the sport's most prestigious venues, was a significant statement. Newmarket is a track that separates genuine quality from the rest, so winning there at that grade means something.

What makes Minhad particularly interesting is how well it performs when given plenty of distance to run. Over a mile and six furlongs to two miles, it has won 2 of its 4 races — a 50% win rate that stands in sharp contrast to its record at Class 4 level, where it has run four times without a single victory. That 0 from 4 at the lower level is an odd quirk, and it suggests Minhad may actually be better suited to the bigger occasion than the everyday race. Some horses switch on when the stakes rise. This looks like one of them.

Trained by Ismail Mohammed at a Newmarket yard that has already sent out 14 winners this season, Minhad is in capable hands in a place that suits it. It last raced just one day ago and is clearly a horse in regular work, with its most recent win coming at Thirsk in April 2026. Recent form of 5-1-12-2-4-8 reads as uneven, but the "1" — a win — sits right there in the middle of it, a reminder that when conditions align, this horse delivers. With its best racing coming at longer distances and at the higher end of the grading system, the yard will be hoping the next step forward is already close.