Hawkesbury, Gunnedah previews: Mark Newnham’s Russian Standard is ready to show his true colours

Mark Newnham-trained three-year-old Russian Standard is as fast as any other Capitalist on the ground, the only problem is he can’t seem to do it in the afternoon.

While not quite yet, condemned as a dreaded ‘morning glory’, Russian Standard needs to bring his trial form to the track at Hawkesbury on what is shaping something of an early D-Day is his career.

The Darby Racing chestnut replica of his Golden Slipper winning father and now boom sire has won all four of his barrier trials by upwards of 13-lengths but has been down the order in his only two race appearances.

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Josh Parr will partner Russian Standard for Mark Newnham. Picture: Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images

“He is a frustrating animal,” Newnham said. “He has well above average ability but so far in his two starts he hasn’t taken that to the races.

“The talent is not the issue, getting him to do his best has been a bit of a trick so far. He is a nice big horse with good ability, he just needs to start to do things right.”

Russian Standard’s sequence of booming trial wins saw him sent out a popular fancy with punters when he resumed at Kembla last month but sadly his race was over before it began.

“He just turned his head sideways when they jumped the other day and he came out a long way behind them,” said Newnham.

“He has since had a jump-out and been good. Barrier one on Tuesday could be the makings or breakings of him because he will be in there for a long time as he was the other day and he is a horse that is easily distracted so I would probably have preferred to draw out.”

Russian Standard is certainly well-equipped to make a racehorse, not only did his sire scoop the Magic Millions/Golden Slipper double, his mother Real Stolle won the time-honoured Maribyrnong Plate for Nathan Tinkler.

On top of that, her mating with Snitzel resulted in Nomothaj who won the Maribyrnong Plate Trial for the Hayes/Dabernig team.

Champion apprentice Tom Sherry takes the ride aboard Bullet Hero. Picture: Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images

Newnham’s other runner at Hawkesbury on Tuesday, Bullet Hero, is also by a Golden Slipper winner – in his case, Vancouver.

A big, bold striding bay with a baldy face, Bullet Hero was brave and honest in equal measure when runner-up in a 1350m maiden at Wyong.

Bullet Hero will reunite with reigning Champion Sydney Apprentice Tom Sherry in Tuesday’s Independent Liquor Group Maiden over 1600m.

“He looks like he is crying out for this trip,” Newnham said.

“He is quite a big one-paced sort of horse so a mile at Hawkesbury, on-pace, he should run pretty well.”

Bullet Hero will no doubt find his way to ten furlong races sooner rather than later, his half-sister was good enough at the trip to finish third in the Moonee Valley Classic despite being by speed influence, Snitzel.

Given the plethora – and standard – of 2000m races in Sydney and surrounds, middle distance horses can be real money-spinners for connections.

“When you get past a mile, you don’t have to have as much ability, you just have to be tough enough and sound enough to keep going around,” Newnham said.

INGS HOPING FOR A BANNER PERFORMANCE FROM SIBLINGS

Trainer Wanda Ings is talking up the chances of a rare double for consecutive foals and stablemates Noble Banner and Miss Embellish in consecutive races at Gunnedah on Tuesday.

The siblings, who are both in line for their first career wins, were foaled within five days of the same date in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

First to go of the pair is the five-year-old bay gelding Noble Banner who lines-up in the Love The Tab Maiden Plate over 1600m.

Granted, the grandson of Exceed And Excel is winless after 19 starts, but Ings for one has never doubted his willingness.

Noble Banner, who was placed at his last start at Cowra has gate one (again) for his Tuesday’s first mile attempt.

“It’s about time all the stars fell into alignment,” Ings said. “He is a real honest little honest. He doesn’t know how to put in a bad one and he keeps trying all the time.

“He has run into some really nice horses during his time (fourth to Zoo Station) so he is entitled to win a race. He is due one absolutely.

Matthew Palmer continues his association with Noble Banner for trainer Wanda Ings at Gunnedah on Tuesday. Picture: AAP ImageSource:AAP

“He wants everything in his favour but he is above average, he just tries so hard, you want to keep a horse like him in the stable.

“He got through the heavy last start but Matty (Palmer) said he would have probably won a good track.

“We’d be very happy if the track improved to a Soft 5 on Tuesday,” Ings says.

As for Noble Banner’s young sibling, Miss Embellish, she will be hard to miss when she parades prior to Tuesday’s The Verdict Coffee Maiden Plate (1250m) given her striking appearance.

The daughter of Sheikh Mohammed’s former crack three-year-old Albrecht is one of the only one per cent of the 13,142 foals born in 2017 that were black.

“She is really black too,” Ings explained. “She’s got no brown muzzle or brown points – she’s black.

“I have got a fad for black horses and dark horses; they’ve got a special place in my heart.”

Ings was rightfully pleased with Miss Embellish’s debut fifth at Cowra on a heavy 9 despite the beaten margin.

“It wasn’t too bad a run, she was a little bit lost, but she has improved a lot since that and has found another gear which is lovely,” Ings said.

From the Golden Slipper to the championships, Sky News takes a look back at the wonder of the Autumn Racing Carnival….

From the Golden Slipper to the championships, Sky News takes a look back at the wonder of the Autumn Racing Carnival.

Originally published asHawkesbury, Gunnedah previews: Time to set the Standard

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