LIGHTNING STRIKES AGAIN WITH HONG KONG BUYS FROM NEWCASTLE

SUPREME SEA WINNING AT SHA TIN ON SUNDAY

LIGHTNING can strike twice!

Newcastle trainer Steve Hodge has sold two unraced young horses to Hong Kong in the last two years – and both have won.

Supreme Sea made a winning debut for expat Sydney trainer Mark Newnham, currently leading the Hong Kong premiership, on Sha Tin’s all-weather track yesterday.

The three-year-old gelding’s first-up triumph shed further light on the underrated stallion Sebring Sun, who stands at Craig Ruttley’s Glenthorne Park Stud just south of Taree at a bargain $6600.

The sale of Supreme Sea, whose name was changed in Hong Kong from Toughenup Sun, arose from the previous sale of another unraced young horse Lika Ryder (now racing as My Wish and one of Hong Kong’s best horses) he bred in partnership with close friends Brad and Fran Marshall, and sold to Newnham after easily winning an 800m trial on Newcastle’s Beaumont track in September 2023.

HODGE WITH SUPREME SEA DURING HIS RECENT VISIT TO HONG KONG

“I mentioned to Mark when I went over to watch My Wish (narrowly beaten in the Hong Kong Derby) last March that I had a nice young two-year-old by Sebring Sun (Toughenup Sun),” Hodge said today.

“Mark said he would keep an eye on him, and watched a video of him winning an 800m trial on the Beaumont track a couple of months later.

“Mark made an offer for him, Craig was keen to sell as the price was right, and the deal was done.

“Craig had named him Toughenup Sun (his dam is Tough Baby) as his late father used to sing out “toughen up son” when he watched him playing footy.

“We saw Supreme Sea at Mark’s stables when we went to Hong Kong a month ago for the International meeting to watch My Wish (who will race next in another Group 1 at Sha Tin on January 25).”

“He is a lot heavier horse (around 540kg) than My Wish.

“I was at Brad and Frances’ home yesterday and when the storm hit Newcastle, we had to watch Supreme Sea’s race on the I Pad.

“Mark gave him a few trials and had planned to give him first start on the all-weather track.

‘I spoke with him after the race and he was very upbeat about the horse’s future prospects.

“Supreme Sea’s victory again highlighted Sebring Sun’s prowess as a stallion (he also had another recent Hong Kong winner which raced in Brisbane for leading trainer Tony Gollan).”

The Red Hare, now trained by Frankie Lor had a breakthrough win in the 1400m Class 3 at Sha Tin on December 20.

Hodge, who manages the equine pool at Broadmeadow, trains only a few horses nowadays and also has an unraced and unnamed Sebring Sun two-year-old filly for Craig Ruttley.

HOOFNOTE: Hodge and the Marshalls are looking forward to the Inglis Classic yearling sale in Sydney on February 9 when they will offer a full brother (by Flying Artie) to My Wish.

“We didn’t breed from My Wish’s dam Set The Tone for three seasons, and this colt is her next foal.

“Set The Tone has since foaled a weanling half-sister (by Hawaii Five Oh), and has just been confirmed in foal to Flying Artie’s son Artorius, who won Group 1s in Sydney and Melbourne, and was twice placed at that level in the UK.”

STORY JOHN CURTIS, JANUARY 5, 2026