Mark Newnham is hoping to take a two-pronged attack into next week’s Classic Mile, but it won’t feature recent Group One Hong Kong Mile runner Ramadan.

Fourteenth for James Ferguson at last month’s Hong Kong International Races, the Yulong-owned Ramadan had his first trial for Newnham at Sha Tin on Tuesday morning but isn’t ready to go back to the races.

“Ramadan is just not ready. We’ve only had restricted access to him up until the last couple of weeks because he had to quarantine after the internationals, so I haven’t rushed him. He’s still acclimatising,” said Newnham.

Newnham will instead aim to run the 79-rated My Wish and all-weather performer Talents Ambition off a mark of 78, both of whom look likely to get a run should the field take shape as expected.

“My Wish has never run poorly. Every race he’s run in he’s been very competitive – if he hasn’t won he’s been thereabouts,” Newnham said of his three-time winner, who won a trial under race-day jockey Luke Ferraris on Tuesday morning.

“He was a little bit unlucky at his last start but that was his first attempt at a mile and he was strong at the line and strong through the line. He trialled to his usual standard this morning.

“In his last run on the turf [in May last year], Talents Ambition ran second over a mile in Class Four and he was a bit immature,” added Newnham of Talents Ambition, who is entered for this Sunday’s Class Three 1,650m contest on the dirt – his fifth all-weather run of the season.

“He’s had a suitable programme on the dirt so far this season, including this coming Sunday, but every indication is that he will still run well on the turf.”

Also at the trials on Tuesday morning was four-time Group One winner Lucky Sweynesse, who moved well when running second as he continues his build up to his return to the races in March’s Group Two Sprint Cup (1,200m).

In the saddle for Ramadan’s hit-out was Zac Purton and the Australian jockey will now turn his attention to snaring the two victories he requires to pass Douglas Whyte’s all-time Hong Kong win record of 1,813.

“We’ll see how we go, Happy Valley is always a little bit tricky. You need to get the right run and a few things go your way, but I’ve only got two to go now, so nearly there,” Purton said ahead of his seven-strong book at Wednesday night’s city circuit fixture, which features Dennis Yip Chor-hong’s last-start winner View Of The World.

“View Of The World won nicely last time, but he drew the right gate, had a soft run behind the leaders and skipped home against an average field.

“He had all the favours but I like the way he did it and he gets around the Valley nicely, so I’m hoping he can go on with it.”

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