The closure of Mark Newnham’s Sydney stable and his impending move to Hong Kong has been almost as drawn out as John Farnham’s infamous ‘farewell tour’.
“I’m like John Farnham – I’m getting there but I’m not quite retired yet,” Newnham quipped.
Newnham expects to saddle up his last runner, Street Gossip in the Pam O’Neill Stakes in Brisbane on Saturday week, although he won’t officially leave for Hong Kong until early June.
But until then, the ever-competitive trainer is focused on finishing up with a bang.
While many of Newnham’s horses have been relocated to new stables, a select few remain, including veteran Sunshine Rising and bonny mare A Very Fine Red, who both run at Doomben on Saturday.
Sunshine Rising was scratched from the Scone Cup (1600m) in preference for the Listed Channel 7 Members’ Handicap (1600m) and has been freshened-up since his sixth to Diamil in the JRA Plate (2000m) last month.
“He had three runs at 2000 and the last one on a heavy track so I thought he needed a bit of a freshen up and back to a mile,” Newnham said.
“He’s still going well, he’s got a good draw on good ground. It’s a real chance for him to get back in the winner’s circle.”
A Very Fine Red drops back to her own sex in the Listed Magic Millions Bright Shadow (1110m) after placing against the males at her past two starts in black-type grade.
She has been set for Saturday’s race and Newnham is hoping to celebrate another stakes win with stable apprentice Tyler Schiller before Hong Kong comes calling.
Schiller is one of several top junior riders Newnham has mentored, along with Robbie Dolan and Tom Sherry during their apprenticeship days.
Senior hoop Josh Parr has also been an important cog in the stable’s operation, he and Newnham sharing many feature race wins, including the Group 1 double of the Spring Champion Stakes and Randwick Guineas with Shadow Hero in 2019-20.
Fittingly, Parr will partner Sunshine Rising at Doomben while Sherry is aboard Newnham’s only runner at Scone, two-year-old In My Dreams in the Listed Woodlands Stakes (1100m).
“These guys, it’s nice they’ve all got a good ride each over the weekend,” Newnham said.
“I’ve been loyal to my jockeys and they’ve been loyal to me.
“They all know if they’re not on a particular horse one week that that ride will stay somewhere in the circle and their turn comes with all the horses.
“Hopefully they get one last turn this weekend.”
