Fulfilling a career ambition, Mark Newnham joined the ranks of Hong Kong’s winning trainers with Happy Hero’s success at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (11 October) with a triumph which took the Australian horseman by surprise.
Newnham had hoped to post his first winner in the jurisdiction last Sunday (8 October) at Sha Tin with either Mission Bravo and All Is Ready but those plans were thwarted when the meeting was cancelled because of Typhoon Koinu.
Newnham, 55, prepared more than 400 winners in Australia before transferring to Hong Kong to start the latest chapter of his training career before the start of this season. Having saddled only 12 runners across the first eight Hong Kong meetings, the former jockey embarked on a deliberately patient start before Happy Hero’s breakthrough.
“I’m just pleased to get one on the board, I thought it would be last Sunday but anyway, those two will have to wait,” Newnham said after teaming with Lyle Hewitson to land the Class 5 Yau Tong Handicap (1650m). “I’m really excited.
“I only got back from the Sydney two-year-old sale (Inglis 2023 Ready2Race Sale) this afternoon, rushed home, got changed and came straight here, so it was worth the effort. To come to Hong Kong to train is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time and to get the first one (winner) is very exciting.”