Since beginning his career in June of 2016 after many years as the right hand man for the Gai Waterhouse stable Mark Newnham has made quite an impact in Sydney.
Now Pierro three-year-old Shadow Hero is poised to make Newnham a notable player on the Melbourne scene by taking the Victoria Derby at Flemington on Saturday.
Following an eye-catching fourth in the Group 1 J.J.Atkins (1600m) at Eagle Farm on June 1 Newnham put Shadow Hero aside with the Derby in mind.
The gelding, who will be ridden by Josh Parr, has been perfectly prepared for the blue riband event.
He commenced his preparation with a fast-finishing third in the Listed Dulcify Quality (1600m) at Rosehill on September 14.
Then at his second outing in this campaign he scored a most comprehensive win in the Gloaming Stakes, a Group 3 race over 1800m at Rosehill on September 28.
Two weeks later he scored another convincing victory in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes over 2000m at Randwick.
Confidently ridden by Parr Shadow Hero powered home to defeat Castelvecchio, who franked the form by finishing second in last week’s Cox Plate.
Impressively that was Newnham’s third Group 1 success and his second Spring Champion Stakes having won with Maid of Heaven the previous year.
Parr is expected to adopt similar tactics in the Derby to the Spring Champion Stakes, which falls in line with recent history which has seen 11 of the past 20 Derby winners come from midfield or beyond.
Significantly, as far as Shadow Hero is concerned, the Spring Champion Stakes was a race won by Ace High in 2017, who went on to capture the Derby.
Monaco Consul also won the Spring Champion Stakes and Victoria Derby in 2009 while Lion Tamer (2010), Sangster (2011) and Prized Icon (2016) were also triumphant at Flemington after coming through the event.
However, the most successful formula has been from horses who have contested either the Norman Robinson at Caulfield or the Moonee Valley Vase with 16 winners coming through those races in the last 20 years.
Shamus Award colt Soul Patch, whose trainer Ken Keys is also making quite a name for himself, has always displayed Group 1 potential.
He posted excellent closing sectionals in winning the Vase last Saturday in devastating fashion and is reported to have thrived since.
Thought of That, who like Soul Patch is by a Cox Plate winner in So You Think, will also be right in contention.
He has turned his form around since blinkers were applied with a runaway win at Donald being followed by a leisurely victory in the Ladbrokes Classic, formerly the Norman Robinson.
The Anthony Freedman-trained Warning cannot be underestimated even though he was no match for Thought of That at Caulfield.
He will appreciate the roomier Flemington course and should be remembered that Anthony has combined with brother Lee to capture Derbies with Mahogany (1993), Portland Player (1996) and Benicio (2005).
Australia’s oldest classic the Derby; which is one of the country’s most prestigious events, this year offers $2Million in prize money, but remarkably the race is overshadowed by an event being run for the first time.
The new Peter V’landys initiated Golden Eagle over 1500m at Rosehill is offering $7.5Million in prize money.
With an irresistible amount of money up for grabs the Golden Eagle has attracted an outstanding field headed by a long list of star-studded horses featuring Brutal, Arcadia Queen, Kolding, Classique Legend and The Inevitable.
Added to that three top performers from the Northern Hemisphere will be lining up.
Of the trio Aidan O’Brien’s Never No More is shaping as the best of the visitors.
Although it is a tribute to the race’s promotion to have attracted the three internationals, they are going to find the locals very hard to beat.
Indications are that the major share of the spoils will be won by Classique Legend, who prepared by 81-year-old Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Les Bridge.
A very astute mentor Bridge has brought Classique Legend to the Golden Eagle through a series of sprint races, culminating in a sixth in the Everest after having a chequered passage.
The four-year-old finished powerfully as soon as he found clear running indicating the 1500m will not be a problem.
Showing the widespread interest of the Golden Eagle a Tasmanian – The Inevitable – and Western Australian – Arcadia Queen – are the principle dangers to Classique Legend.
The Inevitable’s trainer Scott Brunton is highly talented and his ability in placing the gelding has enabled the horse to win eight of his ten races.
The most recent of these was in the Silver Eagle at Randwick which was the logical lead-up to the Golden Eagle.
The Bob Peters-owned Arcadia Queen also has an exceptional record with six wins from eight outings.
After being sent out favourite in the Everest she was ridden surprisingly too close to the leaders in the race and that told against her in the concluding stages.
If ridden quieter there is no doubt she’ll be right in the finish.
The Hawkes’ trained Brutal showed his class winning the Doncaster Handicap as a three-year-old and has performed creditably in his two lead-up races.
He has drawn wide but he did win the Doncaster from barrier 18, so he has shown he can overcome difficult circumstances.
Derby Selections:
- Shadow Hero (1)
- Soul Patch (2)
- Thought Of That (3)
- Warning (4)
Golden Eagle Selections:
- Classique Legend (2)
- The Inevitable (4)
- Arcadia Queen (15)
- Brutal (1)