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.
In 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.