Stunning HK Win for Star Aussie Sprinter

Tara Madgwick - Monday November 20
Exceed and Excel sprinter Mr Stunning stamped himself as the horse to beat in next month's Group I Longines Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) with a comfortable victory in the traditional local lead-up, the Group II BOCHK Wealth Management Jockey Club Sprint at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Mr Stunning - Grant CourtneyIn a sign of the strength of reigning Champion Trainer John Size's sprinting stock, Mr Stunning, under Nash Rawiller, led home a 1-2-3-5 for the stable.

Amazing Kids (Falkirk) and D B Pin (Darci Brahma) fought out second, a length and a half behind the winner, while Thewizardofoz (Redoute's Choice) made up ground from last to finish fifth.

"They've all run very pleasingly," Size said. "Mr Stunning seemed to dominate today, but it all depends on the way the race is run in three weeks. That race could be run at a different tempo, which could give us a different result. Mr Stunning still has to produce it again in three weeks, but if he pulls up well, he should be able to repeat the run.

"This preparation, though, he has done everything perfectly. He's obviously a nice horse to train, he's relatively straightforward and similarly, on raceday, he's pretty good for the jockeys too."

Mr Stunning was bred by renowned Victorian owner breeder Tony Santic under his Makybe banner, which has given us Group I winners such as Starspangledbanner, Pear Tart and Amicus, cups queen Makybe Diva aside.

Mr Stunning was sold by Makybe as a weanling at the Inglis Great Southern Sale for $110,000 and is the fifth winner from With Fervour (USA), who died in 2014. She was a half-sister to five-time Group I winner With Anticipation from Kentucky and Hollywood Oaks winner Fran's Valentine.

Mr Stunning has won nine of 15 starts and has proved to be a highly successful pinhook for New Zealand based Lyndhurst Farm fetching $250,000 to the bid of Magus Equine when re-offered through their draft at the NZB Premier Yearling Sale.



Advertisment
More Reading...
$1.8 Million Exceed and Excel Colt from G1 Winner Platelet
A protracted bidding duel marked the sale of Lot 640, a powerhouse colt by Exceed and Excel from dual Group I winning sprinter Platelet with Hawkes Racing prevailing over a persistent Coolmore.
Kintyre Wins G2 Queensland Guineas
A half-brother to Golden Slipper winner and Champion 2YO Fireburn, Hallowed Crown gelding Kintyre might have claimed his last start win in the Group III ATC Frank Packer Plate in the steward’s room, but this time he got the win at the post taking the Group II BRC Queensland Guineas (1600m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday by a neck.
Pierro Filly Wins Listed Adelaide Guineas
The Lindsay Park racing team have always had a good opinion of Poifect and it was justified at Morphettville on Saturday when she strolled to a commanding win in the Listed SAJC Adelaide Guineas (1600m).
15th G1 Winner for Exceed and Excel
Turning 20 this year, Darley’s champion sire Exceed and Excel has just finished a super successful Magic Millions Sale that saw him with 24 yearlings average $398,542 to be the third leading sire by average and in South Africa on Saturday he posted a 15th Group I winner.
Best On Breeding
Placed behind subsequent Melbourne Cup heroine Empire Rose in the New Zealand Oaks, Eau D'Etoile (Sir Tristram) became that rarest of broodmares with three Group 1 winners and a Listed stakes-winner to her credit on the way to earning Broodmare Of The Year status and that should have been her crowning achievement.
A New Benchmark for Edinburgh Stud
An emotional Ian Smith watched on as bidding reached $1 million for Edinburgh Stud’s stunning Exceed And Excel colt out of the Smoke Glacken mare Smokin’ Alice (USA) to set a new benchmark for the stud.
Hit and Run Mission Pays Off for Just Folk in Hawkesbury Gold Cup
  It was a good result for the Victorians in a thrilling finish to the $250,000 Group III Richmond Club Hawkesbury Gold Cup, with the well-supported Just Folk defeating the top-weight Detonator Jack.
Kiwi Bred Antino Wins G2 Victory Stakes
New Zealand-bred star Antino put a frustrating spring campaign behind him with a superb first-up performance in Saturday’s A$300,000 Gr.2 U&U Recruitment Victory Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm.
Exceed And Excel's Athelric Rewarded for Consistency
It was a 1-3 for Godolphin in Saturday’s Listed Queensland Day Stakes (1200m) for three-year-olds at Eagle Farm.
First Stakes-Winner for Kobayashi
You can’t underestimate a tough, fit filly in good form and the Les Ross trained Mishani Lily is just that and she proved too good for the colts when taking out the Listed BRC Dalrello Stakes (1000m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday to credit her sire Kobayashi with his first stakes-winner.