Newnham Protégé Blitzing First Season

For new trainers, finding that initial winner can be a challenging prospect, however that’s not been the case for James Ponsonby who has already claimed nine winners in his initial season. According to racingnsw.com.au, the influence of his old boss is evident with Mark Newnham’s former mare Proven Class bringing compelling form into a Rosehill Gardens TAB Highway on Saturday. Ponsonby, a Newnham foreman after an accomplished decade-plus harness pacing career, has had a highly productive code switch for the superior prizemoney on offer from thoroughbreds. Ponsonby “inherited” Proven Class from Newnham, and the lightly-raced Smart Missile mare already has a dominant 1800m TAB Highway win at Royal Randwick last prep and a powerful third in the 2000m Country Classic at “The Gardens.” The trainer has formed a winning combination with Winona Costin who has won seven races for the stable, and she will ride Proven Class in a TAB $75,000 Class 3, 1500m at Rosehill on Saturday. “We’re coming with bells on!” Ponsonby enthused trackside from Albury after another successful day. “I don’t bring them to town unless I think they can win. On her form she’s very well-placed.”