Festival Sale graduate Mr Hanks (NZ) (Showcasing) completed a juvenile feature double for both his sire and the Karaka Sales Centre when he scored a narrow but authoritative win in the S$200,000 Juvenile Championship (1400m) at Kranji on Sunday.
Three weeks earlier, Mr Hanks was a beaten favourite behind Be Bee(NZ) (Showcasing) in Singapore's other two-year-old feature, the Golden Horseshoe.
Sunday was his day, however, as the gelding formerly known as Oscar Eight broke well from an inside gate and slotted into a perfect position. With Vlad Duric in the saddle he took control of the race at the top of the home straight, then fought off the challenge of fellow Karaka graduateIffragal(NZ) (Iffraaj) by a head.
"This horse tries very hard and I think we saw the real Mr Hanks today," trainer James Peters said. "I thought there would be more pace from out wide, but he found himself behind a surprising leader (Make U Famous) in a beautiful spot.
"He was behind a few horses and Vlad did not panic, and he was very gutsy to the line. It's great to win a feature race for a new owner, CK (Chian Kin) Phua."
Bred by Brenda and Keryn Corrigan, Mr Hanks was offered by Haunui Farm at the 2016 Festival Sale and cost just $21,000. Stakes-placed in New Zealand under his previous name Oscar Eight, Mr Hanks has now won two races in Singapore and more than S$150,000 in prizemoney for Phua.
"It's Mike Kneebone (New Zealand Bloodstock) who bought this horse for me. He's a very nice horse and I hope he can keep it up when he turns three," said the Singaporean businessman.
| Vendor | Haunui Farm |
| Purchaser | NZB as agent (Auckland) |
| Breeding | Showcasing – Zafonique |
| Sale | Lot 1179, 2016 Festival Sale, $21,000 |
