Tackling Class 1 company for the first time, the John Size trained Mr Stunning had a big pull in the weights over seasoned Group I sprinter Not Listenin'tome and raced clear to win the 1000 metre dash by two lengths.
He clocked a brisk 55.65 seconds for the trip and will now head to stakes
company."We haven't seen his best yet, he's a quite young horse going forward. Once again he won very impressively and down the road I think we're going to see a better horse than we've seen so far – which has already been pretty good. He's an exciting type," said Joao Moreira.
"I don't think 1000 metres is his best, I think 1200 will see the best of him, and that's what we want anyway – all the big races are over longer."
Trainer John Size was delighted with Mr Stunning, who was last season's Champion Griffin. He took his record to six wins from nine starts as he notched a second consecutive win from his two races down Sha Tin's 1000m straight.
"He's always showed us plenty and he hasn't stopped delivering, so I'm pretty happy with him," Size said.
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), a half-sister to five-time Group I winner With Anticipation from Kentucky and Hollywood Oaks winner Fran's Valentine.
He 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.
Also trained by Size and ridden by Moreira was three year-old Hinchinbrook gelding Beat the Clock, who overcame an outside gate in the field of 12 and 59kg to score a length and a half win in the 1400 metre class three event.
Beat the Clock won easily on debut at Sha Tin on November 6 and has not missed
a place since then racking up a further two wins and four placings from seven
starts in total.Tough, talented and sound, Beat the Clock looks as though a very good career lies ahead of him in Hong Kong.
Beat the Clock was a $200,000 NZB Ready to Run Purchase from the Prima Park draft and was a successful pinhook for them having been originally snapped up for $70,000 from the Yarraman Park draft at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Bred by Jilly Henderson, he is the second winner for Group III placed Lion Hunter mare Flion Fenena, who was covered again by Hinchinbrook last spring.
