Mitch Freedman’s rejuvenated Hong Kong reject Ho Ho Khan turned Sunday’s $250,000 Group III Ladbrokes Hobart Cup into a walk in the park.
Given a perfect ride by Tahlia Hope, the 7yo son of Makfi tracked the favourite In A Twinkling into the straight before blasting by for a four-length rout.
Fastnet Rock gelding In A Twinkling held second, a length and a half in front of the local hope White Hawk (Tough Speed).
Ho Ho Khan had been winless in 15 starts in Hong Kong for David Hall since capturing the Group III Queen Mother Memorial Cup at Sha Tin in May 2019.
Hall recommended that connections send the horse to Freedman as he believed the son of Makfi is suited with the sting out of the ground.
That seemed borne out when Ho Ho Khan finished a close up third on a heavy 10 in the Wodonga Gold Cup in November.
After a battling eighth in the Group III Summer Cup at Randwick, Ho Ho Khan broke a three0-year drought over 2000m at Caulfield on January 8.
Freedman indicated the Launceston Cup was now on the cards as it attracts a $100,000 bonus to the horse that completes the Cups double.
“He is a really good horse, and we were rapt with how the track presented, with a good bit of give in it on a warm day,” Freedman said.
“He hadn’t had a run for a bit, but he worked that good on Tuesday at Ballarat we had to bring him.
“He has done well since being down here with Scott (Brunton) and Teagan (Keys). Tahlia came down earlier in the week to do a bit of work on him. She is doing a bit of work for us and rode the horse perfectly there.
‘This race has been on the radar for a while. We mapped out a bit of a plan, but because he likes some give in the track, we had to make a few different plans.
“We might hang out for (the Launceston Cup) ten days.”
Bred by Gerry Harvey, Ho Ho Khan was consigned by Westbury Stud to the 2016 NZB Ready To Run Sale of 2YOs. He left the ring unsold when bidding stopped short of his $65,000 reserve.
He won a Taupo maiden in four starts for Tony Pike in New Zealand when named Mulanchi, before his sale to Hong Kong.
The international traveller has seven wins and five thirds from 33 starts, with earnings of $1,646,732.
Ho Ho Khan is a half-brother to 2021 Listed BRC Just Now Quality winner East Asia (Swiss Ace), out of the Encosta de Lago mare China Choice, a half-sister to Harvey’s runaway Group 1 Australian Oaks heroine Royal Descent (Redoute’s Choice).
It is timely for China Choice’s yearling daughter of Tarzino catalogued for Karaka in March. (lot 166).
