Mark Newnham hopes Winfield can bolster stable’s Four-Year-Old Classic Series arsenal

By Leo Schlink

Mark Newnham hopes Winfield can emerge as a leading HK$52 million Four-Year-Old Classic Series prospect when the dual Brazilian Group 1 winner makes his Hong Kong debut in the HK$3.12 million Class 2 Leighton Handicap (1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (4 January).

Rated 83, Winfield renews his rivalry with fellow Brazilian import Sagacious Life – who made an immediate impact in Hong Kong with victory for Pierre Ng and Britney Wong on 26 October – after taking time to acclimatise after departing South America following an outstanding three-year-old season.

The gelding easily won both the 2024 G1 Ipiranga (1600m) and the 2024 G1 Jockey Club de Sao Paulo (2000m) at Cidade Jardim when he raced as Opazo, comfortably defeating Navio Fantasma (now Sagacious Life) by 3.3L and 5.3L, respectively.

Since arriving at Sha Tin in February, Winfield has slowly adjusted to his new surroundings and trialled well recently, finishing third in a 1200m barrier trial on 22 December behind Storm Rider, who claimed the G3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup Handicap (1400m) at Sha Tin yesterday (Thursday, 1 January).

“It’s taken a long time. He (Winfield) has been a little of a difficult horse in his work and he’s starting to settle down now and that’s the reason I hadn’t trialled him up until recently,” Newnham said. “Each of his trials have been an improvement.

“Obviously, Sagacious Life has shown that that (Brazilian) form is quite good and he’s got form around Winfield. It’s taken him a fair while, but he’s starting to show signs now that’s he can compete well – whether it’s in Class 2 at his first start in Hong Kong, it’s always difficult to know.

“But he’s done enough now and if he’s going to make the Four-Year-Old Series, he needs to get started. I’d say he would race on-pace, he’d settle in the first three or four, I’d imagine, and he’s a horse who can keep up a good gallop.”

Drawn barrier four, Winfield will be ridden by Lyle Hewitson, while Sagacious Life will jump from gate 3 under Zac Purton.

With Chris So and Andrea Atzeni to combine another Four-Year-Old Classic Series aspirant, Top Dragon, Cody Mo will unveil British import Windlord. A Listed winner over 1990m at Sandown in July, Windlord will be ridden by Matthew Chadwick on Sunday after finishing seventh in a 1600m barrier trial at Sha Tin on 16 December.

The Four-Year-Old Classic Series starts on 1 February with the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) before the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) and the HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) on 22 March.

Newnham last season enjoyed a successful Four-Year-Old Classic Series with My Wish, who won the Hong Kong Classic Mile before finishing second in both the Hong Kong Classic Cup and the BMW Hong Kong Derby.

Of Hong Kong’s top-rated four-year-olds, Newnham currently has four rated 80 or higher – Crimson Flash (85), Invincible Ibis (83) and All Out For Six (80).

David Eustace is optimistic Colourful King can cope with a class rise when he tackles the HK$4.2 million G3 Bauhinia Sprint Trophy Handicap (1000m) at Sha Tin this weekend.

The gelding will face Group 1-winning pair Invincible Sage and Victor The Winner and fellow last-start winner Stellar Express in the most serious challenge of his career so far.

“He’s trained on great, he’s a couple of nice gallops down the back straight on the grass, held his weight, so I’m looking forward to running him again,” Eustace said. “He took us a little bit by surprise in his effort down the straight last time, so it obviously makes you feel like he’s going to be at his best (over the course and distance) but, beyond this race, there’s not a huge amount of options for him.”

Sunday’s (4 January) 11-race card starts with the Class 5 Tai Lam Handicap (1400m) at 12.30pm.