The two-year-olds in Western Australia seem to have been dividing up the stakes races until the Group III WATC Gimcrack Stakes winner Hoi An staged a last to first performance in Saturday’s $200,000 Group III WA Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) at Ascot.
Ridden by Shaun O’Donnell for trainer Roy Rogers, the daughter of Longma put a disappointing run in the Group II Karrakatta Plate behind her when she came with a barnstorming finish to defeat the Karrakatta Plate hero Ex Sport Man (Playing God) be a half-length with the Listed WATC Supremacy Stakes winner Liwa (Mulaazem) a further three-quarter of a length back in third.
A homebred for Craig and Rose Thompson’s Mt Hallowell Stud, Hoi An advanced her record to three wins and two thirds from six starts with earnings of $233,600.
Craig Thompson reflected on how close he came to scratching Hoi An and the loss of Longma.
“I am so pleased because I drew barrier 17 in the Karrakatta Plate and then she had barrier 15 on this occasion and I really thought she had no chance.
“All of a sudden she grew some wings and off she goes, I am just shocked.
“He was actually from a blue hen mare and nobody ever got to see the best of him. But how lucky am I to have five of his progeny.
“This filly is small but as the saying goes 'It's not the size of the dog in fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.'
“What about the ride of Shaun O’Donnell? I said to Shaun before the race let’s not be last. Let’s be more positive at the start. But he is Mr cool, the go-to man.
“I vey nearly was not going to run her today and she almost went to the paddock after the barrier draw.
“Today is all about Shaun and Roy.”
Hoi An is the first foal of the Wanted mare M'Lady Hallowell who won three and placed in ten of her 37 starts in the west.
A half-sister to the multiple stakes-placed, 11-time winner, Ebony Rock (Fastnet Rock), M'Lady Hallowell has a yearling colt by Gold Standard and a colt foal by Santos. She was not covered last year.
Longma had only six foals in two seasons before his death in December 2017 due to complications from surgery to his foot.
The son of Sebring opened his career with an 8-length win on debut at Werribee when trained by Mick Price. He was later transferred to Gai Waterhouse. He won at Warwick Farm and ran Sir Moments to a half-length in the Listed Daybreak Lover Plate at Eagle Farm.
Bred by David Bentata, Longma had the pedigree to suggest he could make a success at stud, being a half-brother to Group 1 winners Gimmethegreenlight (South African Queen's Plate) and Ofcourseican (Coolmore Classic).
Ofcourseican (Mossman) is the dam of Group III Bart Cummings Stakes winner Persan (Pierro) and the promising 3yo Not A Single Doubt filly Surecan who broke her maiden with a three and a quarter length success at Ballarat on April 11.
Gimmethegreenlight (More Than Ready) is a leading sire in South Africa.
