Australian racing history abounds with examples of good horses who would have faded into obscurity without the intervention of the veterinary surgeon. One of the most celebrated transformations was that of Kingston Town whose bullish behaviour as a young colt was the talk of Tulloch Lodge early in 1979.
The son of Bletchingly was known to “climb the wall” in his stable, and he performed dismally in early barrier trials. Tommy Smith decided to give him an educational run at Canterbury on March 12th 1979 before having him gelded. Those who saw the black colt digging in his toes at the tail of the field could never have imagined he’d be a Gr 1 winner within six months, and a racing legend within three years.
Kingston Town may have been a top sire had he been left as an entire, but he would never have been a triple Cox Plate champion - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Big Parade got his first taste of black type success in Saturday’s Gr 3 Sydney Stakes. It’s not unrealistic to think that he might win the right kind of Gr 1 next autumn. Had it not been for trainer Mark Newnham’s decision to take drastic action a year ago, Big Parade would have been a very doubtful racing proposition. “Clare Cunningham trained him early in his career and did a great job to win two races with him,” said Mark. “I’m sure he would have been pretty headstrong even then.
“He tricked us a bit when he came into my stable because he was quite manageable with the day to day routine,” said Mark. “But the first time we took him out of that environment, all hell broke loose. As we walked him from the stables to the racecourse for a midweek race engagement he was a monster. He was squealing and striking, he was nearly impossible to saddle and not surprisingly finished out of a place. His next run was at Canterbury, and despite being almost unmanageable he somehow put his mind on the job to win a BM72 by 5.5 lengths. You could see the talent, but boy what a handful. We went back to Canterbury two weeks later, and this time our worst fears were realised. He threw himself down in the float and failed to pass the vet. We scratched him, put him back on the truck and the bugger threw himself down again on the way home.”
Big Parade was still an entire when he won this one at Canterbury by 5.5 lengths. He was gelded soon after - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
The decision was inevitable. Mark thought it wise to have the four year old gelded in the stable and keep him in light work after surgery. Following two soft barrier trial wins, the “new look” Big Parade went back to the races winning two from three on city tracks. Then came a lengthy spell.
With his testosterone levels all but gone, Big Parade was a totally different horse when he resumed six months later. Two easy barrier trial wins readied him for a BM88 (1200m) at Kembla Grange, and what a return it was! He beat the talented Animate by 3.3 lengths in a sizzling 1.08.44 - a new track record. “I gave him plenty of time to get over that run and let him have a soft trial before stepping up to Gr 2 company in the Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) at Kembla,” said Newnham. “He was run down late by a couple of smart horses in Chat and Embracer, but I was more than happy.”
Three weeks later Big Parade put Gravina away comfortably in a Randwick BM94, and then came Saturday’s emphatic Gr 3 win. His patient owners Steve and Jenny Summers now find themselves with a five year old who’s had only fifteen starts for eight wins, four placings and $677,000.
Win number 8 for Big Parade from just 15 starts - the Gr. 3 Sydney Stakes with Josh Parr in the saddle - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
“The best part is he’s now a fully focused racehorse,” says Mark Newnham. “His manners are impeccable at home and at the races. He now conserves energy instead of wanting to overdo it, he’s a very sound horse and he’s unfazed by rain affected tracks.
A hard run can strip five or six kilos off his body weight, but he puts it back on in a week. His best days are certainly ahead of him.”
The five year old’s next essay will be the Classique Legend Stakes at Rosehill Gardens which carries a cool one million dollars plus substantial win and place bonuses for horses who contested the Everest and Sydney Stakes. Big Parade will then go to the paddock with an ambitious autumn programme ahead.
Big Parade’s emergence as a genuine stakes contender has been a timely consolation for Mark who was recently forced to retire his all time favourite Shadow Hero. Mark won two Gr 1’s in Sydney with the son of Pierro before the owners decided to ship him to Hong Kong in quest of the highly prized Hong Kong Derby. When Shadow Hero failed to win in five starts, the owners returned him to his original trainer. “Our delight at seeing him back in the stable was short lived,” said Mark. “He bled from both nostrils in a Randwick barrier trial, and the decision was made to retire a very good horse.”
Another interesting horse in the Newnham stable is Marway who did all of his early racing in North Queensland. The six year old has won four races since transferring to Mark including the Wagga Town Plate. “Like Big Parade he’s also learning to conserve energy in his races,” said the trainer. “His ultimate goal this preparation will be The Hunter at Newcastle.”
Another stable favourite is the brilliant Snitzel gelding Splintex who, from just twenty one starts has won seven races including three at stakes level. “We brought him home after a quick little Melbourne campaign in which he won the Bobbie Lewis before finishing a close fourth to Kementari in the Gilgai Stakes,” said Mark. He handled the straight course so well we’ve decided to target the VRC Sprint Classic on the last day of the Melbourne Cup carnival.”
One of Mark's stable favourites Splintex wins the Gr. 3 Hall Mark Stakes 24/04/2021 with Josh Parr up - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Four year old mare Bargain will accompany Splintex to Melbourne. An Australian Oaks placegetter in the autumn, Bargain found the 1400m of the recent Tibbie Stakes a touch too sharp, but will now step up in distance on her way to the Gr 3 Matriarch Stakes at Flemington in three weeks. “Her chances will be improved should they get rain in Melbourne over the carnival,” said Mark. She’s definitely better with some give in the ground. Keep your eye on the Melbourne weather.”
Harmony Rose will also go to Melbourne for the Gr 1 Empire Rose Stakes on Derby Day at Flemington. “She made a quick trip down last week and covered exes by finishing third in the Ladies Day Vase, but Brett Prebble said she was never comfortable around Caulfield,” said Mark. “She’ll be better at Flemington. Don’t forget she was placed in the Randwick Guineas and the Vinery Stud Stakes back in the autumn.”
The aforementioned spring hopefuls are part of a 65 horse team under the care of a very serious horse trainer - 40 based at Randwick, another 25 at Warwick Farm. “I’d love to have them all at Randwick, but stables at headquarters are as rare as a blue diamond,” said Mark. “I’ve had my application in for ages, but so has everybody else. If you lined them all up, the queue would stretch from Randwick racecourse to the SCG.”
Mark's training career began with just 3 horses in 2016. He's now training 65 from stables at Randwick and Warwick Farm - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
For now Mark has no option but to manage the dual operation. He bases himself at Randwick, while the Warwick Farm arm of the business is in the capable hands of Robyn Fowler. He commutes to the Farm three mornings a week and is across each of the 25 horses. Mark continues to ride work at both venues, an involvement he enjoys immensely. “I don’t ride anywhere near as much work as I did early days, but I do like to jump on the ones that are giving us problems. You’re more likely to find me on a troublesome horse than one of the better ones.”
Mark learned the basics of horse management from trainers like Sydney’s Bob Thomsen, England’s Clive Brittain, and Ireland’s Kevin Prendergast. He made a belated decision to become an apprentice jockey, starting out with Graeme Begg before transferring to Ron Quinton. He was twenty seven years old when he teamed up with Gai Waterhouse, and quickly became the stable’s leading rider at Kembla and Newcastle Saturday meetings. He’s justifiably proud of 650 winners as a jockey and his three Kembla Grange premierships. In 2011 he became assistant trainer to Gai, who was carrying all before her at the time.
Mark’s long term goal of becoming a trainer materialised much earlier than anticipated. When Tulloch Lodge was sold to Chinese interests in 2016 and Adrian Bott entered the fray, Mark’s role changed dramatically. “I was offered an alternative position which I considered untenable,” he said. “I bit the bullet and went training, starting off with three average horses at Warwick Farm. It was pretty scary stuff.”
Just five years on he’s nudging 300 winners, four Gr 1’s, seven Gr 2’s and eleven at Gr 3 level - a very impressive CV in such a short time. Just last season he won 95 races on NSW tracks including 45 in town. Waller, Cummings and Baker were the only three in front of him on the metropolitan ladder. The bulk of his winners were ridden by Josh Parr with whom Mark enjoys great rapport.
“Apart from being a very likeable bloke, he’s an outstanding jockey,” said the trainer. “We seem to work very well together, and I greatly value his contribution.”
Maid Of Heaven was the filly to give Mark and Rachel King their first win at Gr. 1 level in the 2018 Spring Champion Stakes - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Mark Newnham ticks every box as a professional horse trainer. He’s a horseman first and foremost, a skilful stable manager, and is rarely wrong in assessing a horse’s potential or lack of it. One of his owners told me Mark is absolutely brutal when it comes to passing judgement on the horses in his care. Somebody is bound to be offended from time to time, but most owners appreciate his frankness.
Mark was about twelve years of age when he became a familiar face in the Press Room on Sydney’s metropolitan racetracks. His father John was a prominent figure in the newspaper business, serving firstly as Sports Editor and later as Advertising Executive for the Sydney Morning Herald. John was also an avid racing fan who missed very few Saturday race meetings.
Mark was always chomping at the bit on Saturday mornings to get to the races. He was fascinated by the entire spectrum of the Sydney racing industry. From time to time he’d watch a race from my broadcasting box. His conversation was intelligent and insightful. Way back then you could tell this kid just seemed to understand horses.
(Banner image - Big Parade was strong on the line in Saturday's Gr.3 Sydney Stakes - courtesy Bradley Photographers.)