Crimson Flash will face a demanding test in the HK$5.35 million Group 2 Lukfook Jewellery Premier Bowl Handicap at Sha Tin on Sunday, October 25, as trainer Mark Newnham looks to the step up to 1,200 metres to bring out an improved performance from his six-time Hong Kong winner. The five-year-old will take on a nine-runner field headed by Raging Blizzard, whose proven Group 1 form will make him one of the principal contenders.
The race will present Crimson Flash with an opportunity to respond to his fifth-place finish in the Group 3 National Day Cup Handicap over 1,000 metres on October 1. Newnham will expect the longer distance to suit his charge better, while the gelding’s previous success in Class 2 company will provide encouragement ahead of his return to Group 2 competition.
Crimson Flash will carry 127lb off an official rating of 105. His preparation will include a satisfactory gallop on Tuesday, October 20, and Newnham will be encouraged by the progress he will make since his seasonal return. However, the trainer will recognise that his runner will need to produce a stronger effort against rivals with established form at the highest level.
Raging Blizzard will provide the most obvious challenge. Rated 113 and assigned 135lb, the John Size-trained runner will enter the contest as the highest-rated horse in the field. He will bring two Group 1 placings behind champion Ka Ying Rising from last season and will return to a race in which he finished second last year.
The pair will arrive after competing in the same National Day Cup, where Raging Blizzard finished fourth, slightly ahead of Crimson Flash. Their previous meeting will add another point of comparison, although the longer distance will give Crimson Flash a different test this time.
Full Field Brings Experience and New Challenges
The defending champion, Tomodachi Kokoroe, will return with 122lb as he looks to retain his title. Three Group 3 winners will also line up, with Colourful King carrying 132lb, Copartner Prance assigned 131lb and Beauty Waves set to shoulder 124lb. Their previous performances at Group 3 level will add depth to a contest that will demand consistency across the six-furlong distance.
Ka Ying Attack will carry 119lb, while Aeris Nova and Sing Dragon will each carry 115lb. All three will face Group 2 company at Sha Tin for the first time, giving them an opportunity to test themselves against more established opposition.
The nine-runner field will bring together different profiles, from Raging Blizzard’s high-level experience to Crimson Flash’s record of success in lower-grade company. The outcome will depend on how effectively each runner handles the distance and competition, with Newnham hoping that a more suitable trip will allow Crimson Flash to show his ability.
My Wish Will Build Towards Hong Kong Mile
Newnham will also have an important longer-term target in view with My Wish, who will continue his preparation following a third-place finish in the Group 2 Sha Tin Trophy Handicap over 1,600 metres on October 19.
The trainer will consider that performance a positive seasonal return, particularly as My Wish will have contested a mile first-up while carrying weight. His campaign will differ from last year’s preparation, when he will have already raced before finishing in the same event with 115lb.
My Wish will next target the HK$5.35 million Group 2 BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile over 1,600 metres on November 22. That assignment will provide another opportunity to sharpen his condition before the HK$36 million Group 1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile on December 13, part of the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin.
Newnham will hope My Wish can improve through the autumn and reach his best form for the December target. The trainer’s plans will underline the importance of building fitness through successive assignments rather than expecting a horse to reach peak condition immediately after returning to competition.
Max Que and Infinite Resolve Add to Newnham’s Team
Newnham will also saddle Max Que and Infinite Resolve in the HK$3.12 million Class 2 Lukfook Joaillerie Handicap over 1,600 metres. Both runners will bring encouraging elements of previous form into Sunday’s programme.
Infinite Resolve will return to the mile after finishing third and fourth in his first two starts of the season. His second-place finish in the 2026 Hong Kong Classic Mile over the same distance will provide an important reference point, and the return to 1,600 metres will offer an opportunity to build on that earlier performance.
Rated 84, Infinite Resolve will carry 121lb. Newnham will expect him to benefit from a suitable assignment after two runs in which he will have encountered unfavourable racing circumstances. Andrea Atzeni will partner the gelding after riding Crimson Flash earlier in the meeting.
Max Que will carry 126lb and will return to a course and distance where he will already have recorded a victory at the same grade. He will have finished within a length of the winner on his seasonal return over 1,400 metres at Sha Tin, and his recent trial will provide further encouragement ahead of the longer assignment.
Alexis Badel will ride Max Que, with Newnham expecting another consistent performance from a horse whose record will give the stable confidence. The two Class 2 runners will provide further opportunities for the trainer across Sunday’s meeting.
Sha Tin to Open 11-Race Programme at 12:40pm
The Sha Tin meeting will feature 11 races and will begin at 12:40pm on Sunday, October 25. The opening event will be the Class 4 (Restricted) Lukfook Jewellery Rhapsody On The Luo River Handicap over 1,200 metres. The Premier Bowl will be Race 7, scheduled for 4:05pm, according to the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s race programme.
For Crimson Flash, the central question will be whether the step up to 1,200 metres will help him produce a stronger performance than he managed in the National Day Cup. Raging Blizzard will bring the stronger Group 1 record, while Tomodachi Kokoroe will return as defending champion. With several established performers in the line-up, the Premier Bowl will provide a clear measure of Crimson Flash’s current standing in Hong Kong sprinting.
The Lukfook Jewellery Premier Bowl will bring Crimson Flash back to Group 2 company over 1,200 metres at Sha Tin on October 25. Mark Newnham will look for improvement after the gelding’s seasonal return, while Raging Blizzard, defending champion Tomodachi Kokoroe and three Group 3 winners will provide a strong test.
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