Former popular Sydney trainer Mark Newnham has had plenty of success with the stock of Pierro highlighted by his dual Group I winner Shadow Hero and the Golden Slipper winning sire also gave him his first Hong Kong winner when Happy Hero saluted at Happy Valley on Wednesday evening.
The five year-old gelding was looking for his first win also and forged clear to win the Class 5 1650m contest by a length and a half.
Mark Newnham was expecting to get a first winner last Sunday, but the races were cancelled due to bad weather.
“I’m just pleased to get one on the board, I thought it would be last Sunday but anyway, those two will have to wait,” Newnham said after teaming with Lyle Hewitson for his first winner.
“I’m really excited.
“I only got back from the Sydney two-year-old sale (Inglis 2023 Ready2Race Sale) this afternoon, rushed home, got changed and came straight here, so it was worth the effort. To come to Hong Kong to train is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time and to get the first one (winner) is very exciting.”
It only seems fitting that Pierro should give Newnham his first winner in the challenging Hong Kong training environment.
“I rode that horse (Pierro) his whole life,” Newnham said. “He’s (Happy Hero) shown good improvement each week he’s been with me. Lyle’s ridden him in work quite a few times and in the trials.
“He’s just gradually improved the whole way. When he drew badly (barrier nine) it dampened my confidence a bit. I just thought he’d be a good place chance and then in running when he was back last, I thought ‘Well, he’ll probably just run home into a place,’ but he surprised me with how well he finished.”
Happy Hero was a $250,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Turangga Farm draft for Beamish Bloodstock/Matthew Ng and is the second winner from Forty Winks (GB), an imported winning daughter of Australian Group II winner Dilly Dally and a half-sister to the dam of Hong Kong Classic Mile winner Excellent Proposal.
