A daughter of first season sire Russian Revolution, Spicy Hotpot ($12) settled off the speed for jockey Tom Sherry and launched down the outside to post a runaway 1-3/4 length win over Lucky Variety ($5.50 fav) in Wednesday’s TAB Handicap (1200m) with Maritima ($6) another long head away third.
It was Spicy Hotspot’s second start after placing on the Kensington track last month and Newnham said she had been a work in progress.
“She has always been a little temperamental and similar to her name, but in the last month or so, she has really evened out her temperament,” Newnham said.
“She has always shown above-average ability, it was just a matter of getting her to use it at the right end and it was important today that she conserved energy.
“Once she got cover and she started to come into the race, I knew she’d have a good turn of foot.
“I will probably give her a little break now but she looks like she has got stakes-class ability so we will give her that chance at three.”
Last season’s champion Sydney apprentice, Sherry only graduated to the senior riding ranks late last month and Spicy Hotpot was his second city winner as a fully-fledged jockey.
Newnham praised the young rider for the work he had done behind the scenes in teaching Spicy Hotpot to relax and like his former boss, Sherry predicted a bright future for the youngster.
“I feel as though, as she gets a little bit stronger, she is going to make a really nice three-year-old,” Sherry said.
“She showed a turn of foot today that was very impressive.”
Sherry and Newnham will be looking to keep their momentum rolling at Randwick on Saturday when they team up with Dragonstone in the Listed Bob Charley AO Handicap (1100m).
