Mark Newnham will walk away from Rosehill Gardens this afternoon a very, very happy man indeed.
That’s if potential plays its rightful part.
Newnham, former outstanding provincial jockey and one-time the seemingly heir apparent to the Gai Waterhouse stable, before Adrian Bott came along – a story in itself worth telling, now has his own vast empire purring along as his own man in the training ranks.
And the G1 ATC Oaks is his target, his go to race this season.
He has the probable favourite in Nakeeta Jane already on the right path toward the race, and at Rosehill this afternoon he saddles two potential staying stars.
They also will head there, all going well, as mentioned above, according to the script written on heaven’s parchment by horse potential it self.
They are Molten Rock and my personal favourite Scarlet Dream.
Molten Rock (High Chaparral-Steamheat) is up in grade here in race 3 the Bm 74 over 1800m, after finishing like a train to claim her maiden last start at Gosford.
She sat just behind the pace and was too strong looking every bit like a 2400m star in the making.
“She’s very fit and I’m hoping she comes away from this race with a top 3 finish. It will be tough but she has talent,” said the trainer.
The filly pleases him, makes him smile when you mention her name, but not as broadly as the other one, Scarlet Dream (Sebring-Asylum Seeker).
She fronts up in race 6, the Bm 70 over 1400m, and is also a last start winner.
That was back in November last year when she was taken to the centre of the track in an 1880m Class 1 at Newcastle and well, simply took off.
She beat potential star stayer in Jazzland that day and stamped herself as something right out of the box.
“This is probably a bit short for her but I will be very, very surprised if she is not the fastest finishing horse today.
“She has a lot of potential,” claimed Newnham.
Blake Shinn will ride Scarlet Dream and Molten Rock will be handled by Tom Berry.
