Mark Newnham’s stellar season continued to gather momentum when the Australian horseman notched a double at Sha Tin’s all-dirt meeting on Thursday night (30 October) to extend his lead in the 2025/26 trainers’ championship.

The first trainer to reach the 20-victory mark this season with the successes of New Forest and Notthesillyone, Newnham increased the buffer over Caspar Fownes (14) to six after 15 meetings with David Hayes (13) and Danny Shum (11) next.

Newnham, who now tops the standings on both Sha Tin’s surfaces, said: “My goal is to run in the top three (in the trainers’ championship), but history will tell you that the percentage of wins (18.8%) we’re having at the moment – you can’t maintain that.

“Generally, the person who wins the premiership will be on about 12 percent and I will have a lull at some stage. Hopefully there’s not, but there will be. As long as we can keep an even flow of winners, we’ll give ourselves every chance.”

New Forest (118lb) provided Lyle Hewitson with a timely 27th birthday present by forging to a three-and-three-quarter length triumph in the Class 3 Pyramid Hill Handicap (1650m) over stablemate Mojave Desert (130lb) and Ariel (118lb).

“It’s a nice end to the day,” Hewitson said. “He (New Forest) was able to overcome the wide barrier (gate 13) because he starts so fast. I gave up the lead and got off the rail and at the 800m, the pace was slowing down and to New Forest’s credit, he was trucking.

“When I let him go, he was holding them easily and it was a very good performance.”

Newnham and Luke Ferraris combined successfully for the third time this season when Notthesillyone (134lb) clung on desperately to land the Class 5 Tsim Mei Fung Handicap (1200m).

“The track seems a little bit heavier tonight, so it was a good win. He was gutsy,” Ferraris said. “On the turf, he seems to struggle to run it out but on the dirt, he seems to keep going.

“I put the foot down around the home corner to put pressure on the others and he got away from all of them except one (runner-up Cheer For South, 125lb), so well done to Mark and his team.”

Michael Chang also posted a double, striking with Leslie and Super Joy N Fun.

“It’s been a good night for me – fast horses make a better trainer,” Chang said.

Leslie (118lb) snared his first win in 677 days when the veteran powered down the centre of the track under Matthew Poon to land the Class 4 Tin Ha Shan Handicap (1650m) before Super Joy N Fun (116lb) swept to victory in the Class 3 Hebe Hill Handicap (1200m) for Alexis Badel.

Competing on the dirt for the first time, three-time Happy Valley victor Super Joy N Fun justified Chang’s decision to switch surfaces.

“His action and his pedigree showed me that he is a dirt horse. In Class 3 on the grass, it’s too firm for him – I’m pretty confident he can keep going on the dirt,” Chang said.

Dirt specialist Reliable Profit (135lb) impressed with a three-and-a-quarter length triumph in the Class 4 Tiu Yue Yung Handicap (1800m) under eight-time champion jockey Zac Purton. Danny Shum’s charge slotted his fourth dirt course victory as the Hong Kong International Sale graduate took his prizemoney earnings beyond HK$3 million.

Night Purosangue (134lb) broke through in the Class 5 Wa Mei Shan Handicap (1650m) to continue David Hayes’ stellar season while providing Brenton Avdulla with his first victory since 21st September.

“He did a good job, he obviously didn’t have much form until his last couple (of starts), but he’s always trialled well on the all-weather,” Avdulla said of the Night Of Thunder chestnut.
“He’s run well twice now on that surface and I still feel like he’s improving and he’s got more to give.”

Hayes said: “It was good to get the winner and I think if we keep him on the dirt, he’ll keep winning. It’s typical of a lot of horses that are late maturing, that they take about 10 races and then find their form in Hong Kong, and then they do quite well.”

Chris So’s Hinokami Kagura (122lb) notched his second course and distance victory in the first section of the Class 4 Shek Uk Shan Handicap (1200m) under Matthew Chadwick before Me Tsui celebrated his 65th birthday with Vulcanus’ (130lb) triumph in the second section of the Class 4 Shek Uk Shan Handicap (1200m) under Hugh Bowman.

“The win is a good birthday present for both of us. It was a good ride by Hugh Bowman – he made the choice to go wide and if he had gone inside, there would have been no room,” Tsui said. 

“Full credit to my stable staff, they take care of the horse really well. I’m very happy.”

Hong Kong racing continues at Happy Valley on Sunday (2 November).