Sydney trainer Mark Newnham is looking to make a statement early in Melbourne's Festival Of Racing with a couple of former Hong Kong gallopers.
One is already well known in Melbourne, having won during the Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington while the other is Melbourne bound following a recent trial win.
Joyful Fortune is heading to the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) at Flemington on February 18 after which Newnham will decide whether the sprinter returns to Melbourne for the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) in March.
At this stage, Newnham favours running Joyful Fortune in the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill on March 18.
"He trialled during the week and trialled quite well and will have another trial in a couple of weeks before he heads down," Newnham said.
"I'll probably head back home for the Galaxy as I'm not sure of his ability to run a strong 1200 metres, but he does really enjoy the straight, so we'll work it out after that first-up run."
Joyful Fortune is unbeaten in two straight track runs at Flemington, winning on heavy ground over 1100m in September, his first run in over 12 months after being sent over from Hong Kong, while in the spring he won the Listed Century Stakes (1000m) on November 3.
At his only other Australian appearance, Joyful Fortune finished second last behind Giga Kick in The Everest (1200m) at Randwick in October.
Like Joyful Fortune, stablemate Sunshine Rising was sent to Australia having suffered tendon problems in Hong Kong.
Sunshine Rising is being aimed towards the Group 3 T S Carlyon Cup (1600m) at Sandown on February 11 having had two starts in Sydney since last racing in Hong Kong in January 2021.
After a first-up fourth in the Group 3 Festival Stakes at Rosehill, Sunshine Rising came from last to finish 12th in the Group 2 Ingham Stakes at Randwick last month.
"He was a handy horse up in Hong Kong. He ran at Group 1 level up there, won at Group 2 level and had a tendon injury and had to have almost two years off," Newnham said.
"He had two runs here, ran quite well, but I've been looking for a suitable race, and being set weights and penalties he gets in pretty well in the Carlyon.
"It's a race that we hope that will get him back winning."
