Burning Passion in first start for Newnham

Burning Passion’s last-start Group Three win has put a little added pressure on his new trainer Mark Newnham.

Formerly in the James Cummings stable, Burning Passion is among several horses to be transferred to Newnham with the former’s appointment as head trainer for Godolphin.

But Newnham didn’t expect him to turn up already a black-type winner as he heads to Rosehill for his first start for the stable in Saturday’s Listed Winter Stakes (1400m).

“Scott Darby told me I would be getting two of Darby Racing’s horses from James. Then after he won in Brisbane James decided to give him one more run in the Healy Stakes,” Newnham said.

“That means he’s come to me as a 100-rater.

“He’s a nice horse to get and I’ve been happy with him since he joined me.”

Burning Passion had a two-run Brisbane campaign for Cummings, winning over 1200m at Eagle Farm on May 27 before winning the Group Three Healy Stakes over the same distance at Doomben on June 24.

“James changed his training around to keep him fresher,” Newnham said.

“I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel.

“He hasn’t done a lot of work since he’s been here. I rode him this morning and he felt good and he will run on Saturday with Josh Parr to ride.”

Burning Passion was one of 21 nominations taken on Monday for the $150,000 race with Gold Symphony and Ninth Legion the highest rated on 103 and 102 respectively ahead of Burning Passion and Snippets Land on 100.

Last year’s winner Oxford Poet is also among the entries along with his Kim Waugh-trained stablemate Shiraz.

With the rail to go out 6-1/2 metres, the race has a field limit of 13.

The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Gold Symphony is the last-start winner of the Listed Civic Stakes after an unlucky sixth in the Stradbroke Handicap.