Mark Newnham’s ascent of the training ranks in Hong Kong has been swift and significant. The jockey-turned-handler has already eclipsed his first season total of 31 wins to currently sit on 37 in only his second campaign and he has big targets in mind when his exciting four-year-old stable star My Wish returns next season.
Assistant to both Bart Cummings and Gai Waterhouse in Australia, Newnham’s career in racing spans over 30 years. He rode turf greats Campaign King, Kingston Rule, Pierro and Fiorente in trackwork. As a jockey, Newnham, 57, rode over 500 winners. He switched to training in 2016 and won four Group 1 races based out of Sydney.
Making his Group 1 debut in Sunday’s (27 April) HK$24 million G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m), Newnham’s My Wish was a brave fourth behind Red Lion and Voyage Bubble by one length as the contest’s least-experienced runner, having commenced this campaign rated 54 before reaching his current peak of 105 after last weekend.
“I thought he did us proud as he has done all season. He’s been a very consistent horse right from day one of the season. That’ll do him now but he gives us every indication that we can aim pretty high with him next season,” Newnham said.
Diminutive in size, My Wish won the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) and was second in both the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) behind Rubylot and HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) to Cap Ferrat, where he posted the fastest final 400m over 2000m at Sha Tin since 2008, clocking 21.39s, 0.03s quicker than California Memory’s second to Ambitious Dragon.
Newnham pinpointed the HK$36 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) at the year-end LONGINES Hong Kong International Races as his first major aspiration for My Wish, who now goes for a well-earned break after winning four times this season.
“He led all the way over 1200 metres at the first meeting of the season. He’s done a really good job and hopefully next season we can aim for the international mile in December and then the same race (FWD Champions Mile) again at the end of April,” Newnham said.
Heading to Happy Valley on Wednesday night (30 April), Newnham saddles four runners, led by Mission Strike in the Class 4 Korea Racing Authority Trophy Handicap (1800m) from barrier nine with champion jockey Zac Purton in the saddle.
Newnham has applied blinkers to his inexperienced gelding, who has twice placed over tomorrow night’s course and distance across four career starts.
“He was just reluctant to come between horses and finish the race off. We’ve gone with the blinkers this time and his previous couple of runs at Happy Valley over 1800 metres were both good. He gets the blinkers on and back to Happy Valley – it should be a nice race for him,” Newnham said.
“He’s only a young horse with limited experience. It’s understandable that he’s still learning his craft but he’s got enough talent to be winning races already, we’ve just got to help him on his way.”
Cody Mo, 47, is also in his second season of training in Hong Kong. He is thriving with 33 wins and saddles last-start winner Flying Fortress when the Shamexpress galloper contests the Class 3 Jeju Handicap (1650m) with jockey Harry Bentley.
Bentley said: “I thought it (last-start victory) was a good performance. We got a beautiful run through and once he struck the front, he was able to put the race to bed – albeit a little bit green. He does race a little bit keen at the moment, he’s still sussing the whole thing out and once he relaxes that bit, he’ll be a little bit more effective.”
Colourful King has burst onto the scene with two wins from his initial three starts after arriving in Hong Kong as a two-time Australian winner. Andrea Atzeni reunites with David Eustace’s rapidly rising sprinter in a hot Class 2 Seoul Handicap (1000m).
“These Class 2s are never easy. I know it’s a small field but don’t forget he’s only a three-year-old taking on older hardened horses who have been there and done it.
“But he’s done nothing wrong and he’s in there with a light weight (120lb) and he’s improving every run and David seems to be very happy with him – he thinks he’s improved again, which he will need to. He’s a lovely horse,” Atzeni said.
Wednesday night’s (30 April) nine-race fixture at Happy Valley kicks off at 6.40pm with the Class 5 Daegu Handicap (1650m).
By Declan Schuster
