Mark Newnham walked away smiling after My Wish drew barrier one for Sunday’s (27 April) HK$24 million G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin.

Trainer of one of Hong Kong’s leading four-year-old gallopers, Newnham rejoiced as My Wish received the rail-hugging slot when he steps up for his first Group 1 contest against world racing titans Voyage Bubble and Mr Brightside among the 13-runner field.

Throughout the three-race Four-Year-Old Classic Series, My Wish broke from gates eight, nine and, finally, 14 in March’s HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m).

“It was a bit of a relief, actually,” Newnham said. “It’s the complete opposite (to the Derby). Barrier one is great. It gives Luke some options and, as he’s shown through the season, he’s a pretty versatile horse.

“Another encouraging part (of the draw) is that he’s got horses that will race on-pace and good horses around him in Mr Brightside and Royal Patronage – that’s encouraging from a traffic point of view. Those horses drawn around him will be going forward at the 400 (metre mark).”

Rated 101 locally, My Wish’s biggest win came in January’s HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m). The diminutive galloper weighs under 1,000lb and reunites with a flying Luke Ferraris – winner of 36 races this season – on Sunday afternoon.

Hong Kong’s premier miler Voyage Bubble steps from barrier 10. Trainer Ricky Yiu was left unperturbed as his brilliant Deep Field gelding eyes a fifth Group 1 success.

“I would rather see him draw slightly wider than inside,” Yiu said. “We can travel midfield somewhere and with a bit of luck we can be one off or even three wide with cover or not. James knows him really well. I don’t think the draw will be a problem.”

James McDonald rides Voyage Bubble. Nine-time Group 1 winner Mr Brightside was assigned gate two. Gaia Force (barrier 13), Beauty Eternal (five), Beauty Joy (seven), Galaxy Patch (11), Royal Patronage (three), Chancheng Glory (nine), Happy Together (four), Red Lion (12), Goemon (eight) and Sunlight Power (six) complete the line-up.

Trainer of Japan’s Gaia Force, Haruki Sugiyama, said: “This horse tends to win best when coming from the outside with a clean late run. So rather than being stuck on the inside and getting checked, or drawing a tricky mid-wide post, the far outside might actually have suited him better.”

Sunday’s (27 April) 10-race fixture at Sha Tin kicks off at 12.45pm with the Class 4 FWD Insurance ACT Private Handicap (1800m). The HK$22 million G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) and HK$28 million G1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) are also run.