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By Ray Hickson

Matcha Latte might be considered an outsider to win Saturday’s Group 2 $400,000 Petaluma Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill but trainer Mark Newnham has set a solid bar for his first-up performance.

Trainer Mark Newnham (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The colt, a last start fourth in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (1400m), was $41 with TAB on Wednesday – a market stifled by Godolphin colt Aft Cabin – though Newnham said he is a more mature animal after a spring campaign that was the beginning of his coming of age.

“What he did in the spring when he was probably a bit immature, I thought he acquitted himself very well,’’ Newnham said.

“He should have won the Gloaming and he’s been beaten three quarters of a length in the Spring Champion.

“If he gets a decent run in transit I’ll be disappointed if he’s not in the top five.

“He has won first-up in the past albeit at maiden grade, he’s been competitive at 1400m at Rosehill, he ran second to Golden Mile last preparation so there’s no reason he won’t run well.”

Newnham is following the traditional path to the Group 1 $2m Australian Derby (2400m) with Matcha Latte, a $26 chance in the classic, using the Randwick and Rosehill Guineas.

He said he was encouraged by the Group 1 win of Sharp ‘N’ Smart in New Zealand last weekend given there wasn’t a lot between them in the spring.

“I’m hoping to get him on better ground but the form has held up around Sharp ‘n’ Smart,’’ he said.

“I’ve always liked him. He was stakes placed at two at his second start in a race, he’s always had good talent and is just starting to mature. The best is ahead of him.”

Import King Frankel was a revelation in his first preparation for Newnham and he begins a Sydney Cup campaign in the Listed $160,000 Parramatta Cup (1900m).

The five-year-old won three of his four starts in the spring, and was a shade unlucky in the other, and those wins, including the Beauford (2300m) at Newcastle earned him respect as a $15 chance in the Sydney Cup.

“He’s a good staying horse with great lungs and recovery,’’ Newnham said.

“He came here as a bit of a non-winner, he’d won once and run four or five seconds, so the style of racing and training agreed with him.

“What you see from a lot of imports is they improve a lot in their second and third preparations so you’d expect a fair level of improvement as well.”

Tyler Schiller rides King Frankel again, he was $4 with TAB on Wednesday, and Newnham said he should make his presence felt.

“I was very happy with his gallop on Tuesday, I rode him and he was strong through the line,’’ he said.

“He’s got to tidy up a bit in the coat but he’s not far off so I’d expect a forward race.”

Meanwhile, Newnham has his sights set on the $2 million Five Diamonds in the spring with emerging galloper Willinga Rufio who resumes in the Quayclean Handicap (1400m).

Matcha Latte runs second in a Randwick trial, with Expat third, on February 6

A winner of four from seven, the gelding will be better for the run at a foreign distance and Newnham would like to see him graduate to stakes company this time in.

“He has good Rosehill form at that distance so if you have a $2 million carrot in an age and distance specific race you would think he’s an ideal candidate for a race like (the Five Diamonds),’’ he said.

“He’s a straightforward horse. He might find 1400m, which we’ve never had him at before, a little bit sharp but it’s a nice race to kick him off in.”

Mark Newnham on Expat (Race 6): “She’ll lead because that’s what she does. She had an indifferent preparation last time in and that’s been the first time she hasn’t come up. Her trial was good, she does prefer wet ground and that would be the issue going into Saturday. She seems bright and happy, despite it being dry she does love Rosehill.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Rosehill meeting