Karaka Graduates First Four in G1 HK International Sprint

Media Release - Monday December 10

Karaka graduates filled all of the first four placings in Sunday's HK$20 million Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin, with defending champion Mr Stunning (Exceed and Excel) again leading the charge.

Mr Stunning - image Grant CourtneyMr Stunning, who was bought for $250,000 at the 2014 Premier Sale, reaffirmed his claim to Hong Kong sprinting supremacy with an exact repeat of last year's result. Again he narrowly defeated his gallant rivalD B Pin(NZ) (Darci Brahma), who was a $200,000 purchase at the same Sale.

The third placegetter this year wasBeat The Clock(Hinchinbrook), who was bought for $200,000 from the 2015 Ready to Run Sale, whileLittle Giant(NZ) (Swiss Ace) was fourth. He was passed in at the 2014 Select Sale and began his career in New Zealand under the name Blackcrown.

Mr Stunning, trained by Frankie Lor and ridden by Karis Teetan, stalked the leaders in third position before surging to the front 200 metres from the finish. D B Pin chased hard on his inside, with Beat The Clock flashing home out wide, but Mr Stunning held them out by three-quarters of a length. The time was a fast 1:08.85.

"I just knew when I pressed the button he was going to go," Teetan said. "He felt so good. He was really so relaxed underneath me today."

Advertisement

Mr Stunning has now had 22 starts for 11 wins, eight placings and HK$45.84 million in prize-money, which is the equivalent of NZ$8.53 million – more than 34 times his purchase price.

Runner-up D B Pin, a close relative to last season's Karaka Million winner and champion New Zealand two-year-oldAvantage(Fastnet Rock), has earned in excess of 19 times his purchase price.

Vendor Lyndhurst Farm
Purchaser Magus Equine (Hong Kong)
Breeding Exceed and Excel – With Fervour
Sale Lot 338, 2014 Premier Sale, $250,000
Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Sunday October 5
Here is the full list of 47 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
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 G1 Winner for St Marks Basilica - 1.7million Filly Undefeated
The top lot at the 2025 Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale was a blueblood St Mark’s Basilica filly from blue hen Prudenzia that sold for €1.7million to MV Magnier and she became the first Group I winner for her sire when charging home to win the Group I Prix Marcel Boussac (1600m) at Longchamp.
Aussie Bred Asfoora Wins Third G1 on Arc Day in France
Victorians breeders celebrated overnight with Aussie bred and owned Flying Artie mare Asfoora returning to her dazzling best on one of the world’s biggest stages to win the Group I Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp (1000m) with a scintillating performance on Arc Day in France.
First Stakes Horse for Home Affairs
The Group III ATC Breeders Plate (1000m) at Randwick on Saturday attracted a strong field of talented colts from the recent official 2YO trials in Sydney and Home Affairs looks to have a quality youngster in I’m Ya Huckleberry.
$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.
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.
Historic Day in Kalgoorlie - Old Meets the New
Kalgoorlie knows how to party, and on Cup day 2025 the party was big!
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.