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Will he or won’t he? That’s the question trainer Mark Newnham wants answered when I Am Power steps out on a heavy track at Randwick on Saturday.
Newnham thought he'd have his answer last weekend only for the meeting to be called off prior to the running of I Am Power's engagement so he'll front up in the Heineken Handicap (1000m) under less than ideal circumstances but with a need for the horse to race.
I Am Power has now not raced since May 22, he had a trial on June 18, and Mark Newnham said if he can be as effective on a heavy track as he has been in soft conditions he'll be able to press on through the winter with confidence.
"I've got to find out and that was part of running him last week to find out,'' he said.
"We aren't going to get anything better than a (soft) 7 for the next few weeks.
"He's drawn a good gate, hopefully that's a good gate come race 10. I'm not convinced one way or the other whether he goes in the ground but he's a pretty talented sort of horse so if he handles the ground he'd be in the finish."
Both of the gelding's Australian runs have been at 1200m but his previous three wins, one in Ireland and two in Hong Kong, came at the 1000m.
"It might not be ideal 1000m with 61kg on his back but he's got to get back to the races,'' Newnham said.
"I'm not that worried about the 1000m but from the time he won until last Saturday there were no 88s to run it. The advantage is we have Tom (Sherry) back now, who knows him, and he takes 2kg off."
Newnham is hoping I Am Power, $6.50 with TAB on Wednesday, can revel in the ground because there is another Benchmark 88 over 1100m in two weeks time and he'd prefer not to have to send him out.
Front-running filly Expat butters up chasing her third straight win in the Tax Today Handicap (1400m) and in a masterstroke of programming will attempt the hat-trick in the same grade as her two previous wins.
She'll only rise 1kg after Tom Sherry's claim having carried 58kg to an almost two length win at Rosehill two weeks ago.
The venue change doesn't faze Newnham and he's confident it won't trouble Expat either.
"She's won at Gosford, Newcastle, Canterbury and Rosehill so she's been able to adapt pretty well wherever you take her,'' he said.
"She stays in the same grade and she gets Tom's claim which keeps her competitive at the weights. She's improved each prep, she's a good tough on-pace filly that goes in all types of ground."
Newnham has been happy to tread softly with Expat, $3.40 with TAB on Wednesday, to this point but a record of six wins from nine starts near the end of her three-year-old season would encourage him to aim higher next season.
"I would say next autumn would be her chance to be a stakes grade mare,'' he said.
"She's a good front running mare because she doesn't go too slow and doesn't need to be cuddled in front. She sets strong sectionals and is able to keep up a good gallop.
"Those ones tend to have good winning records because they make it hard for the others to stay with them."
Updates from Mark Newnham on some of his spring team:
Harmony Rose : "She's going three-quarter pace. She'll trial in a month's time, it might be one or two runs into the Epsom then maybe a freshen into the Golden Eagle."
Marway : "He's still a benchmark horse so there's no hurry with him. We have enough races there for him if he keeps progressing, he might get through to a Listed/Group 3 sort of grade. He has won up to 1300m so I wouldn't rule out a race like The Hunter. He's on the water walker and will be back in the next couple of weeks."
Shadow Hero : "He'll be back from Queensland next week. He's rising five, a gelding, there's plenty of races and plenty of time for him. He needs good ground so we won't need to hurry him along."
Every Rose : "She'll run first-up in the Toy Show then go to the Sheraco."
Spirit Ridge and Skymax : "They will head towards the Newcastle Cup, Spirit Ridge will go towards the Metropolitan and Skymax will have to prove he's good enough to go that way too."
