Mark Newnham will aim to maintain his trainers’ title challenge when he sends a lean squad of six runners to Sha Tin’s ‘Summer Series’ fixture on Saturday (13 June).

The championship leaders have been finding it increasingly difficult to live with the momentum of Caspar Fownes’ (62 wins) bid for a fifth trainers’ championship. He now sits four wins clear of Newnham’s tally of 58, with Danny Shum in third on 57.

While that trio has broken clear of the pack – Francis Lui is fourth with 51 wins and David Hayes has 50 – Fownes’ relentless progress has seen him pick up winners at each of the last seven meetings, and he’s setting a pace even his closest rivals are struggling to match.

Newnham’s view on the title race last month was that he would “probably run out of bullets before the end of the season”, and that outlook appears to be well-founded; he has presented fewer runners than Fownes and Shum at each meeting in June, and will do so again on Saturday.

Nevertheless, the Australian handler saddles two strong chances in Saturday’s sporting highlight, the Class 2 Peacock Handicap (1600m).

Max Que (124lb), who will be ridden by Alexis Badel and jumps from barrier four, has enjoyed a remarkable season that has seen his rating (86) rise by 32 points since his opening run of the campaign.

“He’s had a great season,” Newnham said. “He started this season in Class 4. He’s worked his way up to be a Class 2 winner. He’s probably going to find the handicap a bit tough now. But he is a good, consistent horse. He’s been a really good horse for the stable all year. It’s just a matter of whether he’s still got one more good run in him.”

The third-year handler also prepares Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) runner-up Infinite Resolve (123lb) in the same race. He will be piloted by the in-form Jerry Chau from gate seven.

“I think the key to him is riding him for a turn of foot,” Newnham said. “His best performances in good grade have been when he’s been ridden that way. He’s placed in the Classic Mile and placed in Class 2 prior to that. So, he’s getting back to a rating where he should be competitive. I think he’s around about his mark now. But he needs to be ridden in a specific way.”

A tough period for two-time champion trainer Hayes has seen his title bid fade. Nevertheless, he’s excited to test an eye-catching two-year-old in the Sunbird Plate (1000m) for Griffins on Saturday.

Jedi Spurs (121lb) advertised his potential with two comprehensive barrier trial wins in May, and though he only arrived in Hayes’ yard in March, the Australian Racing Hall of Famer felt the time was right to send the gelding to the races.

“His trial was good,” Hayes said. “Young horses, you’re always guarded that he handles the occasion of Hong Kong – it’s very different than a trial. But he’s a very promising young horse. If it’s not this season, he’ll be very good next season.

“He’s had a quicker than normal preparation, because there’s only two more races that he could possibly run in. And we’re hoping to run in both.

“He has really good natural speed, and he had enough on the line, but I think he’s come on from the trial,” Hayes added.

Saturday’s (13 June) 11-race ‘Summer Series’ fixture at Sha Tin starts at 4pm with the Sunbird Plate for Griffins (1000m).

By Paul Ryding

Photo HKJC