Newnham stirs signature marvellous medicine for young colt Sixgun
Sixgun's older brother is on an ambitious spring group 1 mission - maybe even to The Everest - and trainer Mark Newnham will look to employ a similar formula in the development of his latest youngster.
Twelve months ago, Newnham used a short winter campaign with talented colt Splintex and, a year earlier, the pair’s half-sister Invictus Salute. The method's success is evidenced through the pair's progression to stakes company.
Mark Newnham will attempt to emulate the success of Splintex (pictured) with another promising colt in Sixgun.Credit:Getty
So it made sense for Snitzel colt Sixgun to step out now, and Newnham is curious about what the two-year-old colt can produce at Canterbury today in the Harry Angel @ Darley Handicap (1100m) - a race which could also feature Winx's half-sister Covent Garden.
"He has really good natural ability, similar to Splintex and Invictus Salute, but with a fair bit of improvement to come," Newnham said. "They have got better as they’ve got older and I'd expect the same from him. I'll only give him one or two runs."
Sixgun, like so many of owner Geoff Grimish's horses, bears a military name, and has shown his share of ability in two trials in May – though Newnham was a little perplexed by his second effort.
The colt won with plenty of intent over 742 metres at Randwick on May 15 but, 11 days later on the synthetic track, did not travel at all well en route to fifth of six horses.
The latter effort has prompted Newnham to enact a gear change for his debut.
"He was good in one and wanted to hang a bit in the other one, he got his mouth open a bit so we put a cross over nose band on and he’s been good in his work," he said. "He's a work in progress and prone to doing things like that. Mentally he's still a bit immature but he is only going to get better by going to the races."
Jockey Robbie Dolan will do the honours, and Newnham would like to see Sixgun find the fence in the run, as has been a requirement at recent Canterbury meetings.
"I'd expect that he'd go forward as long as he jumped well," he said. "It looks to be a fast race anyway but the way Canterbury is you don't want to be far away from the fence so [Robbie] will have to make up his mind quickly."
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