By Michael Cox
Trainer Mark Newnham flagged what could be a mouth-watering clash between his G1 Surround Stakes winner Nakeeta Jane (So You Think {NZ}) and superstar colt The Autumn Sun (Redoute's Choice) in next week's G1 Randwick Guineas.
Just five months and two starts after being beaten by a narrow margin in the G1 Flight Stakes, Nakeeta Jane won by a similar margin to bring up her maiden win at the top level, in just her fifth career start. An ecstatic Newnham suggested she could be back in seven days.
"I haven't ruled out backing her up in the Randwick Guineas," Newnham said, adding that the race fit well into a preparation centred around the G1 Vinery over 2,000m on March 30 and possibly the G1 ATC Oaks two weeks later.
"I haven't ruled out backing her up in the Randwick Guineas." - Trainer Mark Newnham
"Looking at the Australian Guineas today, there wouldn't be many backing up from that and I can see a small field here. Taking on The Autumn Sun is obviously not an easy assignment but it could actually be a good lead up for her going into the Vinery. Going week-to-week, going to a mile and then 2000m three weeks later. But let's see how she pulls up."
"She will come back here if she is in the right order but we will make that decision during the week."
Winning ugly
It was a self-confessed "ugly ride" by Josh Parr on the winner as he found himself posted wide – then shunted wider on the turn – and he was overjoyed with the narrow victory.
"That was incredible, she's a freakish filly and she is the best filly in the country." - Jockey Josh Parr
"That was incredible, she's a freakish filly and she is the best filly in the country," Parr extolled post-race, before measuring his comments regarding the potential clash with The Autumn Sun. "You've got to respect him, I won't say anything outlandish, but she can't be sneezed at either."
Jockey Josh Parr and trainer Mark Newnham
"She had a big job to do at the top of the straight but sheer tenacity and ability got her home. It was ugly how I rode her, it was a slowly run race and three-wide with no cover was the best we could do. 200m from home and I thought it was going to be too ugly to win, but she has done a great job."
Blanket finish
Neither Parr nor Newnham were confident the photo finish would swing their way after the big filly dived at runner-up Fundamentalist (Not A Single Doubt), third-placed El Dorado Dreaming (Ilovethiscity) and fourth-placed Mizzy (Zoustar) in a blanket finish.
Giving Newnham confidence about Nakeeta Jane's ability to cope with the run is her growing physical stature and an already proven ability to cope with a quick back-up.
"In the spring it was only about a ten day turnaround from her winning a maiden into her running in the Flight Stakes, and she was probably a little unlucky there, so I wouldn't think that would bother her," he said.
Mark Newnham is impressed with Nakeeta Jane's growing physical stature
Girls' generation
Newnham added that what he felt was the relative strength of the fillies division had him bullish about taking on the boys in the Guineas.
"They have been a superior group of fillies right through," he said. "The fillies had it over the colts in the Golden Slipper, the Sires' and the Champagne last year, and they have continued that trend."
"The fillies had it over the colts in the Golden Slipper, the Sires' and the Champagne last year, and they have continued that trend." - Mark Newnham
It was a second career G1 victory for the trainer after Maid In Heaven (Smart Missile) won last year's G1 Spring Champion Stakes and Newnham, who was a long time trackwork rider and assistant to Gai Waterhouse before taking his license in February 2019, thanked Nakeeta Jane’s owner-breeder Mark Towell.
A jubilant Mark Newnham and Josh Parr
"The first day I started they put a horse in my stable and they have been there since, so to reward them with a group one is unbelievable," he said. "It's been three years ... I keep reminding myself it has only been a short time, but I like to win, and it's a good place to be winning. For her to do what she did in the spring and come back bigger and better, I am speechless."
