Newnham has an ace up his sleeve

Mark Newnham will be looking for a third straight Happy Valley victory with Ace War on Wednesday before chasing Group 1 glory with My Wish and Invincible Ibis in Sunday’s Champions Mile at Sha Tin.

Ace War will be striving for three consecutive victories in the Class Three Oncidium Handicap (1800m) after the recent stable transfer scored at his first two starts for Newnham.

Zac Purton will partner the five-year-old once again but will ride 1kg over the allocated weight of with the step up to Class Three company.

“He’s been dominant in his two wins. He’s certainly earned the right to jump up into Class Three. He’s at a slight disadvantage at the weights because Zac will have to ride him 1kg over but I think having Zac on, who obviously gets on well with him, will offset that,” Newnham said.

While a wide draw of No 11 will prove a challenge, the Phoenix Of Spain galloper will settle towards the back of the field and be saved for one last run at his rivals.

“He’s got to relax. He’s a horse that can pull hard, so he’ll go back and just try and get him to switch off and if they go a good even pace, well then I’d expect him to be in the finish,” Newnham said.

Soaring Bronco is Newnham’s other last-start winner stepping out in the Class Five Freesia Handicap (1650m) after a dead heat last start alongside Glorious Ryder at the stable transfer’s debut run for Newnham.

“He’s been pretty good. He’s enjoyed the change of environment. He’d sort of lost his way a little bit. He trialled last week and trialled very well again, so I’d expect him to run to his best, which in Class Five he’s very competitive,” Newham said.

“He’s drawn out a bit in barrier No 9 but he’s been showing a bit more gate speed than he was earlier in the season so he might be able to take up a good position anyway.”

The son of Tivaci was given seven weeks before his first start for Newnham while the trainer introduced him into the system and worked out his idiosyncrasies.

“It was just understanding him really. You can look at their form, but until you’re actually working with them you never quite know what their sort of characteristics are and what they like and dislike,” Newnham said.

“Whatever we were doing seemed to work with him, he seems a pretty happy horse at the moment. He should be able to maintain his form.”

Loving Vibes is also a recent stable transfer and will have his third start for Newnham in the Class Four Lusitano Challenge Cup over 1200m. The son of Zoustar has fallen victim to a wide gate yet again, but will have the services of Jerry Chau Chun-lok who has proven to suit the five-year-old well.

“Last time was really good from gate No 12. Unfortunately, we’ve drawn gate No 11 this time, so he’ll have to be ridden quietly from there I would imagine. He performed well being ridden quietly his last start and Jerry gets on well with him,” Newnham said.

The consistent Fortune Star rounds out Newnham’s Happy Valley contingent in the Class Four Geranium Handicap (1650m) and will benefit from a 1.5kg weight drop.

“He’s a difficult horse because he’s got to be ridden a certain way. He’s only got a short sprint – when he has to make a long run he can’t sustain it,” Newnham said.

“So drawn No 6, it will give him an opportunity to be ridden mid to back. But he needs pace and last start they went at a fairly steady gallop and sprinted off the front, so for a horse that gets back it’s always difficult – you’re reliant on pace more than anything. If there’s pace in the race, he’ll run well.” – South China Morning Post