Blue Gum Farm’s Flying Artie is undoubtedly a value sire that can get an elite G1 horse and he proved it again at Sha Tin on Sunday when his classy five year-old son My Wish took out the Group I FWD Champions Mile (1600m).
Trained by Mark Newnham and ridden by Hugh Bowman, My Wish has been competitive in some big races this year, twice finishing fourth to Romantic Warrior (IRE) in G1 races before a last start second in the Group II The Chairman’s Trophy.
Given a quiet run back in the field in a race run at a good tempo, My Wish charged home late to win by a long neck over last year’s Hong Kong Derby winner Cap Ferrat with last year’s Group I Royal Ascot Queen Anne Stakes winner Docklands (GB) a good third.
“I’m very proud of the horse, and congratulations to the team behind him because he’s shown that he can compete and win at this level, and he was yet to do so. But now he’s won with authority, I think,” said Hugh Bowman.
“I was very confident going into the race. The pace was really quite on, which suited him, and I got a smooth passage through, and when I asked for top effort, he gave it to me in a stride.
“(Mark Newnham’s) results speak for themselves. I’m not one of his most-used jockeys, but fortunately, he seems to find me when he’s got the better horses. And what a fantastic job he’s doing – not only with these elite animals, but all the horses in his stable. It’s a pleasure to work with him and for him, and long may it continue.”
Winner of the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) and second in the HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) last season, My Wish enhanced his overall record to seven wins and six minor placings from 19 starts.
“Like Hugh said, we were fairly confident with the horse, at least as much as you can be going into a Group 1 race. His work here last Saturday morning (18 April) was exceptional," said Mark Newnham.
“I was just sitting in the grandstand and he came flying by. Hugh’s a man of few words generally when he’s hopped off one after galloping them, but I could just tell in his voice that it was as good as the horse could go. We knew then that if things worked out during the race that his turn of foot would be superior at the end, and it has been.
“I was proud of both horses. Invincible Ibis, when he comes back next season, he’s going to acquit himself well in this grade. My Wish has taken a season and a bit to win his Group 1, but I think the way he’s going now, that I don’t think we’ve seen the last of it.”
My Wish is the first foal of Reset mare Set The Tone, a winner over 2100m, from a family which includes Group I winners Mazu and Headway.
After leaving My Wish, she wasn’t served again until 2023 when she returned to Flying Artie, and produced a full brother to My Wish, who is now a yearling that sold for $200,000 at Inglis Classic this year to Hong Kong trainer Frankie Lor.
Set the Tone followed up with a filly by Hawaii Five Oh last year and was then covered by Flying Artie’s dual G1 winning son Artorius.
My Wish is the third Group I winner for Flying Artie joining Artorius and Asfoora.
