Mark Newnham approaches the HK Stewards’ Cup with a quiet confidence born of preparation rather than bravado, as his stable star My Wish lines up for Sunday’s Group 1 highlight at Sha Tin. The championship-leading trainer sends his Group 2 winner into the HK Stewards’ Cup in peak order, aware of the scale of the task but encouraged by a preparation that has gone precisely to plan.
Sunday’s HK$13 million contest over 1600 metres brings together a field of rare depth, headed by Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble, whose combined record of 17 Group 1 victories defines the challenge facing Newnham’s emerging force. Yet My Wish, winner of the 2025 Hong Kong Classic Mile, arrives with momentum and the promise of further improvement.
The Flying Artie gelding has been carefully managed, including a searching 1700-metre trial on 10 January, where he surged clear in 1m 46.91s under Alexis Badel. That piece of work, away from his familiar Sha Tin surroundings, was designed to sharpen both body and mind.
Newnham was pleased with what he saw. The horse relaxed well, travelled strongly and finished with authority, suggesting his upward curve remains intact as he steps into the Triple Crown opener.
HK Stewards’ Cup the Centrepiece of a Busy Sha Tin Week
While the HK Stewards’ Cup dominates the weekend, Newnham’s influence will be felt across the Sha Tin programme. On Wednesday night’s all-dirt card, he saddles Talents Ambition and New Forest in the Class 2 Tin Chak Handicap over 1650 metres, a race likely to be shaped by tempo and positioning.
New Forest, partnered by Andrea Atzeni, steps into Class 2 company following a pair of strong Class 3 victories. A Justify gelding who thrives when allowed to control the speed, he brings a reliable racing style that has served him well to this point.
Talents Ambition, reunited with Lyle Hewitson, has been kept ticking over with this target in mind. Though opportunities at this level have been limited, his recent work suggests he remains capable of performing to his best.
Earlier on the card, Supreme Sea represents the stable in the second section of the Class 4 Marble Handicap. A debut winner, the gelding showed resilience last time after an awkward start and will be hoping for a smoother passage from barrier three.
Looking further ahead, Newnham’s focus soon shifts to the Four-Year-Old Classic Series. He holds a strong hand for the Hong Kong Classic Mile on 1 February, with Invincible Ibis, Infinite Resolve, Winfield, Crimson Flash and Aerodynamics all entered. Invincible Ibis, in particular, continues to please in his work as he follows a familiar programme into the race.
Wednesday’s nine-race meeting at Sha Tin gets underway at 6.45pm with the Class 5 Kam Shan Handicap over 1200 metres on the dirt, setting the stage for a week that could define Newnham’s season at the highest level.
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