Pierro colt Ipso Facto has dad’s nature
When Mark Newnham was Gai Waterhouse’s right-hand man he got to know champion colt Pierro as well as anybody.
As a trainer in his own right, he could be responsible for the stallion’s first winner if Ispo Facto lines up in the race named after his father at Rosehill on Saturday.
Newnham said he would wait until Wednesday to make a decision whether Ipso Facto runs in the $150,000 Pierro Plate (1100m).
While Ipso Facto may act like Pierro, Newnham said he looks nothing like his father.
“He’s the same colour that’s about all,” Newnham told AAP.
“He’s got a pretty relaxed nature the same as dad.”
Newnham said Pierro’s attitude was key to his ability to learn as a two-year-old, an age at which he was unbeaten in six starts and won three Group One races to complete the triple crown.
“Ipso Facto’s pretty sensible and that was one of the things Pierro had going for him,” Newnham said.
Newnham, who left Waterhouse to establish his own stable earlier in the year, said even if it wasn’t Saturday, the Pierro colt would be his first juvenile runner.
“It’d be fantastic if I could have his first winner – that would be something,” Newnham said.
Ispo Facto finished second in the most recent of two trials on his home track at Warwick Farm.
He was less than a length behind Godolphin colt Revenire who crossed the line after 805m in 47.6 seconds.
“He’s a genuine little horse but at two they should all be genuine,” Newnham said.
It took Newnham until his 18th starter to get off the mark, but he now has three wins from his past six runners.
Newnham said attracting clients without results was difficult, but more people were coming on board.
“We’ve got some winners on the board now,” he said.
“It’s going well enough that people now say ‘I’ll give him a go’.”
Ispo Facto is raced by Paul Fudge’s Waratah Thoroughbreds while Darby Syndications have six horses with Newnham.
He also has a group of Asian clients who he met when he was a jockey in Macau more than decade ago who race four-year-old gelding Lucky Fish and Righteous Mate who was Newnham’s second winner.
Lucky Fish is nominated for a benchmark handicap on Saturday but is likely to be saved for Randwick on Melbourne Cup Day.
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