Invincible Ibis confirmed his standing as the Classic Mile’s leading contender when the emerging four-year-old delivered Mark Newnham his 100th Hong Kong victory at Sha Tin on Saturday.

Stepping up to the Classic Mile trip for the first time in the Class Three Poinsettia Handicap, Invincible Ibis sliced his way through the field under a sublime Zac Purton ride to complete a hat-trick with another dominant triumph.

Newnham has compared the Hellbent gelding to his Classic Mile winner of last year, My Wish, as the Australian handler sets his sights on back-to-back victories in the opening leg of the four-year-old series on February 1.

“That should see his rating lift to get him into the four-year-old series,” Newnham said.

“He’ll need another race before then, but he’s on his way and he’s improving every start.”

Settled in the back half of the field on the inside rail, Invincible Ibis came off heels in the straight and surged through a gap between runners at the 300m.

The $2.95 second favourite unleashed a sizzling turn of foot to pounce on the lead at the 150m and draw clear, scoring by a length and three-quarters from Lovero.

Fortune Boy ran on strongly from near last for third while another prominent Classic Series contender and the heavily-backed $2.3 favourite, Dazzling Fit, was fifth after making his run from back in the field and wide on the turn.

Newnham plans to start Invincible Ibis in a Class Three 1,600m race restricted to four-year-olds on January 11 before the Classic Mile.

“He’s always given that indication that he’s going to run 1,600m out strongly, but first run you need to see them do it,” Newnham said.

“Zac gave him a perfect ride and the gaps opened up for him, so he had the advantages with an inside gate but he still had to put them away and he did it well.”

While Purton is spoilt for choice with Classic Mile options, Newnham expects the champion jockey to stick with his charge.

“I won’t need to persuade him, I don’t think. He’ll probably be at the top of his list, but that’ll be up to Zac to decide,” Newnham said of Purton.

Newnham snatched back the lead in the trainers’ championship from Caspar Fownes, who had edged ahead after Sky Trust won Saturday’s Class Two Ivy Handicap (1,200m), and was delighted to celebrate his milestone of 100 local wins.

“It’s good to get the 100 out of the way. We’ve been stuck on 99 – I felt like a bad cricketer. It was going to come, I’m just pleased it came with this horse in this race,” said Newnham, who rode and trained gallopers in Australia with success before moving to Hong Kong in 2023.

Invincible Ibis was one of seven four-year-olds to strike on Saturday’s 11-race card, but most were over sprinting trips or likely too low in rating to be considered for a shot at the Classic Series.

One that could elevate into contention is John Size’s Fit For Beauty, who fought tenaciously to record his second win in the Class Four Hibiscus Handicap (1,600m).

“He hasn’t been racing for very long and he hasn’t had much experience, so he’s done it well,” Size said after Fit For Beauty beat Amazing Duck by a head at his fifth career start.

“He’d have to improve quickly to be considered for [the Classic Series], but anything that’s four, you put them in the mix and see what happens.”

Superstar jockey James McDonald finished his latest short-term stint in Hong Kong with a double courtesy of Nyx Gluck and Fit For Beauty.