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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Mark Newnham hasn’t ruled out aiming the promising Dragonstone at the premier three-year-old sprint of The Star Championships if he continues to make progress into the New Year.

Trainer Mark Newnham.

To be fair the Benchmark 78 of the Schweppes Handicap (1000m) on the Kensington track is far cry from the Group 2 $1m Arrowfield Sprint (1200m) but it's worth noting the opening city meeting of 2021 proved a stepping stone for races later in the year.

Talented filly Four Moves Ahead won the two-year-old event a year ago on debut and a few races later the Epsom Handicap winner Private Eye won a Benchmark 72 with Golden Eagle runner-up and The Gong winner Count De Rupee in third place.

Newnham won the Arrowfield with Splintex in 2020 a few starts after winning a 1000m Benchmark 74 at Randwick in January that year and he says Dragonstone has the makings of a high quality sprinter.

“He runs really sharp sectionals. If you’ve got that it’s only a matter of time before they mature and build up to a better grade,’’ he said.

“He handles wet tracks so there might be an opportunity for him in the autumn.

“If he was able to extend to 1200m a race like the Arrowfield might be suitable but at this stage, being a gelding, prizemoney is the key.”

Newnham elected to miss Wednesday’s Gosford Guineas with Dragonstone, preferring to continue his education in a solidly run 1000m sprint, and is more than comfortable with the decision after watching the midweek feature.

The Guineas was won by Godolphin gelding Bacchanalia who sailed past Dragonstone to win an 1100m event at Randwick on December 11 though Newnham’s charge was ridden out of his comfort zone on the speed after drawing wide.

“The other horse was too good on the day, that was all it came down to,’’ he said.

“He probably had a tactically better barrier. If you swap the barriers we would have had the drop on him, but he may still have been too good if you reverse the runs.

“Dropping to 1000m we’ll be able to ride him more conservatively and save him up to use that turn of foot.”

Dragonstone, $2.80 with TAB on Thursday, has again drawn wide on Saturday but as Newnham highlighted he has no intention of asking Tyler Schiller to roll forward this time.

In his explosive first-up win over 1000m at Kembla Grange, the gelding landed midfield in a fast run race then reeled off a 32.39 for his last 600m (Punter’s Intelligence).

“It looks like it will be run quickly, we can ride him back a bit from the gate and that will give him a really good chance,’’ Newnham said.

“On the Kenso later in the day they tend to come up the middle and if that’s the way the pattern is it will suit us.

“In his two runs back this time in his race craft has improved immeasurably. He’s jumped well both times, he settled well, he’s come a long way.

“He’s probably still physically a bit immature. He won’t get a lot bigger but he will strengthen up. He’s got a big motor, that’s what counts.”

Dragonstone runs second at Randwick on December 11

Stablemate Wild Irish Rover has drawn the outside for his second race start in the Ranvet Handicap (1150m) but Newnham said that might aid his chances after being a little overwhelmed on the inside at his debut.

That was in the Inglis Nursery and he could only manage ninth behind El Padrino but Newnham said he’s seen enough of the gelding to know that’s not his true ability.

“He drew two the other day and was a bit intimidated with the field around him so it might help him have a bit more room,’’ he said.

“He has a good constitution, he’s got talent and he trialled quite well it’s just a matter of whether it’s all there yet or not.

“He may not be quite sharp enough as yet but Saturday will tell us whether he goes for a two week spell or a six week spell.”

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