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Trainer Mark Newnham has called on some inside knowledge in a bid to successfully begin a new association with Gooree Stud at Hawkesbury on Thursday.

Newnham has opted to put blinkers on recent stable arrival Bombardier in the Hawkesbury Living Cancer Trust Class 1 Handicap (1300m).

Newnham is no stranger to Gooree horses from when he was an integral part of the Gai Waterhouse team and with Bombardier’s original mentor James Cummings taking up his new role as Godolphin’s head Australian trainer he has been fortunate to pick up a number of Gooree’s stock.

“It’s a great opportunity,” he said.

“At this stage I’ve got about 15 Gooree horses on the books including 10 yearlings and a few unraced two-year-olds. Bombardier is the only horse to have raced.”

Newnham explained that his knowledge of Bombardier’s family history prompted his decision to add blinkers to the three-year-old’s gear for his Hawkesbury assignment.

“He is a half-brother to Gooree’s former Group 1 winners Desert War and Laser Hawk, and they improved once blinkers were added,” he said.

“I rode Bombardier work after he came to me from James, and he’s big and raw.”

Bombardier, unraced as a two-year-old, made a winning debut for Cummings at Kembla Grange on June 3.

Subsequently, he was transferred 50m to Newnham’s Randwick barn. Newnham also has stables at Warwick Farm.

Newnham also nominated Bombardier for a Warwick Farm race on Saturday, but chose to keep him at the provincials for the time being.

“He’s not quite ready yet for a Saturday race in town. Naturally I am keen to keep his winning momentum going and at the same time make a successful start with Gooree,” he said.

Newnham trialled Bombardier in blinkers when he finished a close third to Canterbury winner Spending To Win in a 1050m Randwick heat on June 23.

“I’m sure the blinkers will help him, and there’s no doubt he will continue to improve with racing,” Newnham said.

Newnham says his first full season of training has exceeded expectations with 16 winners to date, including a G2 success in the Skyline Stakes at Randwick with Diamond Tathagata.

Diamond Tathagata is back in work and will trial at Randwick on Monday in preparation for a return to racing.