Ellis and Mr Hanks reunite for comeback win

KUALA LUMPUR:  Aug 6, 2023
 
MR HANKS (Haikal Hanif Hasin) scoring a comeback win - SLTC photo
 

Shane Ellis saddled his first winner since making a comeback to Malaysian racing in mid-April and it was an "old buddy" MR HANKS who helped the Australian trainer make the breakthrough.

Ellis, a former assistant trainer to the late Laurie Laxon in Singapore, held a licence for two years from early 2019 and was based at Sungei Besi. During that time, he won two races with MR HANKS who was transferred to him after winning four races at Kranji.

Since he has been away, MR HANKS has failed to pick up another win even though he came under the charge of four different trainers.

Back with Ellis since April, MR HANKS has have three runs in and the now nine-year-old showed that he still has what it takes when he romped to a two-and-a-half-length victory in the Somnath Biswas Handicap (Class 4 - 1100m) at Sungei Besi here today.

Ridden by apprentice Haikal Hanif Mohd Hasin, MR HANKS settled just off the pace fifth after getting a good jump.

Haikal switched the son of Showcasing out from the rails making the turn into the straight. Pacemaker BILLY MOJO was still well clear at the 200m but he soon came under pressure after setting a brisk pace early.

Odds-on favourite PACIFIC EMPIRE went after BILLY MOJO with MR HANKS looming large next. MR HANKS went best in the run to the post to win easily from PACIFIC EMPIRE. BILLY MOJO held on for third.

"We jumped from a good barrier (3) and settled nicely behind the pace," said Haikal. "The horse responded well with just a couple of cracks of the whip."

"This horse has got ability and never lost it," said Ellis. "It's great to win with that little horse because I have been with him since he was a two-year-old in Singapore, first with (Laurie) Laxon and then James Peters."

"He was owned by Oscar Racing Stable. The owners sent him up to me and I won a couple of races with him.

"I left and then came back and the (new) owners (AIG Stable) were quite happy to give him back to me which I very happy and thankful for.

"I just found the right race for him today and the light weight on his back helped a lot."

"I left because of Covid and my father actually got cancer back in Perth. So I went back to help look after him and worked for my old boss Neville Parnham.

"My dad has recovered thankfully and the longing to be my own boss brought me back here."

MR HANKS was placed twice in four runs as a juvenile in New Zealand before coming to Singapore. It's now seven wins in 49 starts for the veteran galloper in Malaysia/Singapore.

  RESULTS AT A GLANCE:   Tote No / Horse / Trainer / Jockey / Position
 

1 

 CLASS 5 - 1400M
1 SORBETA R Lines S Ruzaini

1
  (9 b/br.a.g Elzaam - Naughty Girl by Honour And Glory)  
5 Fardus M Sukri R Nuqman

2
9 Jakama Pegasus SY Lim M Lukman

3
7 Race For Fame AB Abdullah O Chavez

4
 

2

 CLASS 5 - 1400M
5 AMAZING CHOICE F Maynard A Najib

1
  (9 b.nz.g Shocking - Choices Are by Redoute's Choice)  
11 Snaggle Puss EP Tan AM Aizat

2
8 Char Siew P Lee S Ruzaini

3
4 Apollo Rock R Lines WW Cheah

4
 

3

 CLASS 5 - 1700M
2 LIM'S UNIQUE L Moy I Fikri

1
  (7 b.a.g Uncle Mo - Miss Concorde by Encosta De Lago)  
1 King Ravana P Lee L De Souza

2
4 Heng Kingdom HY Cheng M Ewe

3
10 Tarzan WC Lim M Lukman

4
 

4

 CLASS 4 - 1300M
3 INTREPID S Siva I Fikri

1
  (7 b/br.a.m Blackfriars - Razzia by Scenic)  
1 Inherit HY Cheng H Haikal

2
8 Sahm M Sukri R Nuqman

3
4 Oisin Express R Lines L De Souza

4
 

5

 CLASS 4 - 1600M
10 KHAN PEGASUS WC Lim M Lukman

1
  (6 ch.a.g Deep Field - Omniyah by Fastnet Rock)  
2 Show Hand L Moy I Fikri

2
6 Attention S Siva L De Souza

3
9 Tauboss SY Lim S Ruzaini

4
 

6

 STAYERS STAKES B (SW) - 1600M
4 PASIR PINJI S Dunderdale T Ammar

1
  (7 b.nz.g Nadeem - Mistaar by Iffraaj)  
6 Leopard Eclipse F Maynard R Rueven

2
8 Suspicious Mind S Dunderdale R Nuqman

3
11 Straight N Arrow R Lines S Ruzaini

4
 

7

 SOMNATH BISWAS HANDICAP
CLASS 4 - 1100M
5 MR HANKS S Ellis H Haikal

1
(9 b.nz.g Showcasing - Zafonique by Bigstone)
3 Pacific Empire KC Tiang R Nuqman

2
6 Billy Mojo HY Cheng AB Riduan

3
11 Happy Thirtynine MP Thwaites AM Aizat

4
 

8

 CLASS 4 - 1100M
10 MYSTERIOUS CAPTAIN R Lines KP Lim

1
  (5 br.nz.g Sweynesse - La Pin by Pentire)  
1 Black Quail R Lines M Seelan

2
5 Qiji Acheeva NM Selvan Z Khairil

3
4 Brave Warrior AB Abdullah O Chavez

4
 

9

 CLASS 3 - 1200M
7 TITAN PEGASUS NM Selvan Z Khairil

1
  (6 b.a.g Foxwedge - Elay Princess by Universal Prince)  
9 Khayyam AB Abdullah O Chavez

2
12 Perfect S Siva I Fikri

3
1 Good Fight S Dunderdale R Rueven

4
 

10

 OPEN MAIDEN (WFA) - 1200M
3 MAGIC TURBO R Lines KP Lim

1
  (4 ch.a.g Star Turn - Component by High Chaparral)  
8 Aragon Pegasus WC Lim M Lukman

2
11 Pure Perfection WC Lim WW Cheah

3
1 Thousand Mile Eye HY Cheng H Haikal

4
 

11

 CLASS 5 - 1200M
10 MARTIN VJ MP Thwaites A Suriya

1
  (9 b/br.a.g Bel Esprit - Lacrimosa by O'Reilly)  
8 Pacific Aramni KC Tiang R Nuqman

2
5 Miss Michelle CC Ooi J Low

3
9 Beijing Sar HY Cheng M Ewe

4
 

12

 CLASS 5 - 1400M
2 LIM'S BETTERREADY L Moy I Fikri

1
  (6 b.a.g Better Than Ready - Purple Royale by Reset)  
3 Barbarian NM Selvan Z Khairil

2
1 Skyscraper AB Abdullah O Chavez

3
7 Jockey King HY Cheng H Haikal

4