Mark Newnham confident of ending Happy Valley card in style with in-form gallopers
Mark Newnham is hoping to keep the good times rolling with last-start winners Fatal Blow and Casa Rochester at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.
Casa Rochester runs in the Class Three Deauville Handicap (1,650m) off the back of shedding his maiden in very comfortable fashion over course and distance one month ago.
Settled out the back, his rider Hugh Bowman made stealthy progress through the middle of the pack on the final bend and once in the clear, he charged home to get up by a nose.
The winning margin didn't do the victory justice, however, and Newnham is confident his improving galloper can get the job done again with Lyle Hewitson back in the saddle.
TREBLE for @HugeBowman! 🔥
Casa Rochester just salutes for a first Hong Kong win at Happy Valley over Quantum Patch for Mark Newnham...#HappyWednesday | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/d80oM29LUA — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) April 9, 2025
'It was a cosy win last time in a lower grade but his previous run in Class Three he was competitive,' said Newnham. 'With that in mind, I'm not worried about the rise in class for him.
'He's got a good draw, which is always a big positive at Happy Valley, and he's going to run a big race.'
Newnham's evening could get even better just 35 minutes later when Fatal Blow also bids to back up a course-and-distance win in the card-closing Class Three Parislongchamp Handicap (1,200m).
Fatal Blow has thrived over the Valley 1,200m for Newnham this season, winning on his second start by a short head after showing a really game attitude.
Fatal Blow lands the final stroke! Mark Newnham makes it a Happy Valley double as @LukeFerraris gets a first for the evening... ✌️#HappyWednesday | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/Vga8BeVG3r — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) April 16, 2025
He disappointed in two subsequent outings, but he was back on track after a three-month break when flashing home to salute in Class Four company and he will be having just his sixth Hong Kong start on Wednesday.
Newnham has paired him with in-form jockey Andrea Atzeni and is hopeful of another big run from his unexposed four-year-old.
'He's a lightly raced and improving horse,' said Newnham. 'He's been pretty solid since he arrived and he was impressive at the Valley last time.
'I think this is a nice race to introduce him to Class Three racing. Whether he takes a race or two to get there in this company, we'll find out, but he's going well.
'He's definitely got more to come after only five starts and he's finished in the money in three of those already.'
Those are not the only big chances on the card for Newnham, with the 57-year-old hoping Setanta can build on a fast-finishing third at the Valley seven days ago in the Class Four Saint-Cloud Handicap (1,650m).
Setanta has been plying his trade in Class Three company this season and left behind a trio of disappointing runs when lashing home off this rating last time.
The drop in grade is an obvious positive to his chances and he could be sneaking in under the radar.
'That was more like it at the Valley last week,' said Newnham. 'The drop to Class Four company will be a big help to him and he has run well when backing up quickly in the past, too.'
Newnham kicked off his tenure in Hong Kong with a 31-winner campaign last season and he has already smashed through that tally this term, heading into the meeting with 37 winners.
His season has been headlined by My Wish, who won the Hong Kong Classic Mile before two agonising defeats in the subsequent legs of the Classic Series.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
08-07-2025
- South China Morning Post
Hugh Bowman eyes best Hong Kong season before a freshen up, and maybe some rides, in Europe
A 'delighted' Hugh Bowman is itching to head off to Europe for a break and maybe even a few race rides, but first he's keen to better his Hong Kong personal best of 69 wins in a season. The star Australian sits on 68 victories with three meetings to go in the 2024-25 campaign and he has six chances to add to his tally at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. 'I'm delighted – it's been a pretty consistent year for me,' said the jockey. 'It's been a good, consistent flow of winners with the exception of being a little bit quiet through the November-December period and a little bit quiet through June. 'It's been an improvement on last year, but bearing in mind that last year I was injured for a period of time and I did struggle with careless riding suspensions. I've had a few this year but it hasn't been quite to the same extent as last year. 'That's an area I'd like to improve on again next season. I set a goal to ride 100 winners. I think that might have been a little bit ambitious, actually – I won't do that again – but I do think I can do better than I've done this year.' Bowman rates Enjoy Golf in the first section of the Class Four Garden Handicap (1,200m) and Prince Alex in the Class Four Green Handicap (1,650m) among his better hopes at the midweek meeting. Enjoy Golf makes all for an impressive first win as @HugeBowman collects a race-to-race double at Sha Tin... ✌️ #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) June 8, 2024 'Enjoy Golf has been a good horse to me although he's only won one race. I think I've had four seconds on him, which is always a bit concerning,' said Bowman. 'But his only go at Happy Valley was at 1,650m, which is too far, so he's an interesting runner and he's got to be a chance. And Prince Alex freshened up, a long time between runs from gate one – they're probably the chances, those two.' While Bowman is counting down the days until his flight out of Hong Kong, he admits he'll likely get itchy feet at some stage during the off-season and potentially look to do some riding while travelling. 'I can't wait to get away. It's been a long year for everyone but in saying that, I feel like I'm finishing the year full of enthusiasm,' he said. 'For me, two months [off] is a bit too long, but it is what it is. We'll have a break, freshen up and come back and hit the ground running. If the opportunity arises, I'll look to ride in Europe, whether in the UK or possibly France.'
The Standard
08-07-2025
- The Standard
HAWK EYE VIEW: Romantic Warrior third pick in HOTY tussle
Forever Young (Left) beats Romantic Warrior by a neck in the Saudi Cup. The margin might be the difference in Romantic Warrior's Horse of the Year hopes (HKJC)
South China Morning Post
07-07-2025
- South China Morning Post
Matthew Chadwick ‘giving it his best' as Tony Cruz Award reaches the business end
Matthew Chadwick is hoping to make his move in the race for the Tony Cruz Award with a strong book of rides headlined by Bravehearts in the feature Class Two Begonia Handicap (1,800m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday. The 34-year-old will arrive to the Valley on the 34-winner mark for the campaign, just two behind leader Matthew Poon Ming-fai and one ahead of fellow hopeful Derek Leung Ka-chun in the race to be the season's leading local jockey. Chadwick is hunting down a second Tony Cruz Award and has picked up one of Poon's regular rides, Bravehearts, in what could be a cruel twist of fate for Poon. A three-time winner at Sha Tin this season, the Mark Newnham-trained six-year-old has been in consistent form since the most recent of those successes back in December. Here comes the favourite! 😤 Argentine Group 1 winner Bravehearts continues his rise with a third win in Hong Kong and first in Class 2 at Sha Tin under Matthew Poon for Mark Newnham... #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) December 29, 2024 Last time out, Bravehearts came from a long way back to be narrowly denied in a tricky Class Three over 2,000m at Sha Tin and he will make just his second appearance at the city circuit on Wednesday. 'Matthew Poon is not on Bravehearts because he was meant to pick up another ride I think, but that didn't happen so it's frustrating for him,' said Chadwick. 'But it's a nice ride to pick up, he's not drawn very well, like many of my rides so I'll have to work it out from there. The pace looks to be even so I'll hope to get a smooth run into it and see what he can do late. 'He's been racing consistently so the switch in tracks should be fine. I haven't ridden him before so I'm just going to go in with hopes high and give him the best ride that I can.' HK Racing News Get updates direct to your inbox Sign up Best Bets Racing News By registering you agree to our T&Cs & Privacy Policy Error: Please enter a valid email. The email address is already in use. Please login to subscribe. Error, please try again later. THANK YOU You are one the list. It is a busy evening for Chadwick with rides in eight of the nine races, including last-start winner Superb Capitalist in the Class Three Briar Handicap (1,000m). Superb Capitalist gets up late at Happy Valley. The Capitalist galloper won the Class Three St George's Challenge Cup (1,000m) on his most recent start, getting up in the shadows of the post in a race marred by the incident that saw Seasons Wit go amiss in the final 100m. That win off a rating of 74 was his first victory since May 2024, where he rattled off a pair of successes rated 75 and 86. The draw is not a plus point to his chances, but Chadwick is hopeful of a big run from the five-year-old. 'He had a soft draw last time and everything went his way - obviously the accident during the race was really unfortunate but the horse did what he had to do,' said Chadwick. 'He's got to carry more weight this time and the draw is a bit of a bump in the road, so I'll have to see where I slot in and take it from there.' Matthew Chadwick is within striking distance of the Tony Cruz Award. Chadwick claimed the Tony Cruz Award in the 2021-22 season and with just the three meetings left, this year's fight is almost certain to go down to the final meeting. And for Chadwick, luck is going to play a huge part in who eventually comes out on top. 'I think for all of us we just look to start the season strongly and then at this point of the season, we know where we stand and it becomes a bit more of a target and jumps up from the backs of our minds,' said Chadwick. 'We'll all give it our best shot I'm sure. I guess it will come down to the draws and the circumstances of the races for everyone.'
