John Size optimistic Wunderbar can handle distance change at Sha Tin

By Leo Schlink

Seeking to secure a record-extending 13th Hong Kong trainers’ championship, John Size hopes Wunderbar can successfully revert to Sha Tin’s straight course when the talented sprinter contests the HK$3.72 million Class 1 Pearce Memorial Challenge Cup Handicap (1000m) on Saturday (28 June).

With 64 wins, Size leads David Hayes (55) by nine wins with six meetings left in the season and will field 10 runners this weekend when Wunderbar will chase an eighth victory from only 13 starts.

The gelding returned to winning form with an emphatic performance over Sha Tin’s 1200m course on 14 June and, with Hugh Bowman suspended, he will be ridden on Saturday by Brenton Avdulla.

“He (Wunderbar) seems fine, he’s in pretty good shape. He’s done well after the last race. He looks in good order,” Size said.

“I think coming back in distance for this particular race, it looks extremely competitive and there are quite a few horses there that are suited by the straight 1000. So, he’ll run well but it’s a good competition.

“He can handle the straight 1000 alright. He ran second this season there. It was a good run. He runs in a straight line pretty well.”

Wunderbar has won twice over 1000m at Sha Tin and finished second – beaten a short head – by Magic Control at his only other attempt over the course.

Magic Control (135lb) heads the weights on Saturday but will benefit from Ellis Wong’s 5lb claim. Wunderbar (134lb) will also concede weight to Beauty Waves (128lb), Aurora Lady (120lb), Full Credit (120lb), Horsepower (118lb), Red Elegance (118lb) and Stellar Express (115lb).

Mark Newnham is adopting a cautious approach with Full Credit as the gelding resumes following throat surgery in March.

To be ridden by in-form Matthew Chadwick from barrier four, Full Credit this season has posted one win and six minor placings from 10 starts and won a 1200m trial on Sha Tin’s dirt track on 20 June.

“He’s had a good season unfortunately interrupted by a wind operation, so he’s got to come back to form after that. His last trial was good, but not against the same sort of opposition he’ll face on Saturday,” Newnham said.

“He’s a versatile horse who’s gone on all types of surfaces at each track and his last run down the straight was very good in good grade, so it will be interesting if he can recapture his right form.”

With 42 wins for the season, Newnham has easily surpassed the 31 victories his stable posted last campaign and he is excited by the potential of rising star My Wish, winner of the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) and runner-up in the HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m).

“I’ve been happy with the way things have gone, it’s improvement on last season and we look like we’ve got another good group of horses to go into next season,” he said. “I think My Wish has still got good improvement to come. He’s been immature mentally and physically, so I still think his best is ahead of him.”

Matthew Poon takes the ride on Pierre Ng-trained Aurora Lady as he attempts to stave off Chadwick in the battle for the Tony Cruz Award as Hong Kong’s leading homegrown jockey. With 36 wins, Poon leads Chadwick by two.

Ng hopes Aurora Lady’s light weight will allow the gelding to press for a fifth win of the season.

“There’s not too much pressure on him. He’s placed over 1000m at Sha Tin before so hopefully he can finish off better under the light weight,” Ng said.

Sha Tin’s 11-race card on Saturday (28 June) starts with the Class 5 Kam Tin River Handicap (1400m) at 4pm.