Trainers’ championship front-runner Mark Newnham arrived at Sha Tin three wins clear at the top of the standings and pushed even further ahead early in the night when course specialist New Forest dominated from the front.
New Forest’s all-the-way win in a 1,650-meter Class 2 was Newnham’s 34th winner of the season, and the trainer said he wished all of his horses were as “push button” as the dirt tracker.
“He is a good, tough and consistent horse that makes his own luck,” Newnham said after the son of Justify won his fourth race over the course and distance – and his third from his last four starts. “He wins the start, travels kindly and kicks off that - the ideal racehorse.”
Andrea Atzeni rated the five-year-old perfectly in front, holding a comfortable one-and-a-half-length margin on the line over Gorgeous Win, with Newnham’s Talents Ambition finishing third.
“Especially against a small field, everybody left him alone and nobody made a move so it makes it easier,” Newnham said of the successful tactics.
Newnham will saddle up My Wish in Sunday’s G1 Stewards’ Cup, with French jockey Alexis Badel replacing Luke Ferraris after a couple of disappointing runs from last year’s Hong Kong Classic Mile winner and Derby runner-up.
“Barrier draw will determine the tactics – but he is adaptable,” Newnham said.
The trainer also confirmed riders for his three runners in this year’s Hong Kong Classic Mile, set to be run on February 1 at Sha Tin. Atzeni will ride Crimson Flash, Badel will be aboard Infinite Resolve, and Lyle Hewitson has been booked for Winfield.
Earlier in the night, first-season trainer Brett Crawford continued his incredible record with lower-rated stable transfers when Celestial Harmony sprang to life at his first start for the stable, kicking off a race-to-race double for the South African.
Celestial Harmony had been winless in 16 starts for previous trainer David Hayes, but with his rating down to 32 he found a new lease on life on the all-weather track.
In the following race, Speedy Smartie – another horse that arrived with Crawford in Class 5 – won his third race of the season in a four-and-three-quarter-length romp in a 1,200-meter Class 4.
