It could be a case of slow and steady for first-season trainer Mark Newnham as the 2023-24 Hong Kong racing fast approaches on 10 September.
The 55-year-old arrives in Hong Kong with the challenge but high ambition of building up a successful stable from scratch as he did in Australia.
Newnham will rely heavily on stable-changes as his yard grows in time, as is the case with any new trainer starting out in Hong Kong.
“It’s like starting again as I did seven years ago,” Newnham was quoted in a South China Morning Post article on June 12.
“There’s nothing special among them (stable transfers). No one’s moving a horse who’s going well. You’re just happy to take horses into your stable and do the best you can.
“A little change of environment. A little change of tactics. A little change of regime. Sometimes old horses, like people, get into the habit of going through the motions, and everything becomes routine. If they can have a change in mindset, away you go.”
At the time of writing, Newnham’s stable numbers stand at 35. Seven of those are unnamed and 20 are stable transfers.
Since trials in Hong Kong resumed on August 17, Newnham as trialled just seven horses. So while there is no doubting Newnham will make his mark on the training roster, don’t expect him to come out with all guns blazing.
He is in it for the long-haul and like all aspects of the racing game, expectations need to be managed.
