My Wish aims higher after G2 Sha Tin Trophy success

Loftier goals ahead for Newnham’s 5YO who baggs his biggest win to date in Hong Kong

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My Wish.

PHOTO: HKJC

HONG KONG My Wish underlined his mounting Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Mile (1,600m) credentials with a scintillating performance to scoop the HK$5.35 million (S$892,000) Group 2 Sha Tin Trophy (1,600m) on Oct 19.

The five-year-old galloper remained on course for his long-term target at the Longines Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) on Dec 14, as he continued his rise through the grades under trainer Mark Newnham after bagging his second Group prize of the season.

Given a fine steer by stand-in pilot Alexis Badel, My Wish ($7) tracked the brisk pace set by Keagan de Melo on Copartner Prance before moving from his haunches and bursting clear to salute by 1¼ lengths.

My Wish has claimed his sixth win from 13 starts. Copartner Prance held on for second while Beauty Joy (Derek Leung) completed the frame in third.

“I had an awkward gate, but we decided to make it simple not complicated. He just relaxed,” said Badel. “He was waiting for me to ask him (for an effort) and when I did, he just responded well.”

Newnham was gushing about his stable star and his improvement this season.

“His race manners have improved as he’s matured,” he said. “He’s got good gate speed. He (Badel) had to use him a little bit – the inside runners weren’t making it easy for him. But when he got there, he waited and conserved energy.”

But the handler, who oversaw 43 “black type” wins in his native Australia, sounded a note of caution that My Wish would