One of just two live foals from the second crop of the Sebring stallion Longma, Hoi An credited her sire with posthumous honours as his first stakes-winner when she captured the $150,000 Group III Furphy - Gimcrack Stakes (1100m) at Ascot on Saturday.
Given a ground-saving ride by Shaun O'Donnell, the Roy Rogers-trained filly powered home to defeat Policiere (Safeguard) by a long-neck with the favourite Pat's Got Sass (Patronize) a length back in third.
It was the second win for the Mt Hallowell Stud homebred, who has not finished further back than third in four starts.
"Luckily, she is small, about 44kgs, otherwise she wouldn't have got through (the gap)," Rogers said.
"Shaun rode her an absolute treat. She had a good gate, rode her for luck, and she delivered.
"She is full of sass, and you can't force her to do anything she does not want to do.
"Craig (Thompson, owner) made me spell this horse after it won at Bunbury. He likes to place his horses and go for the best, so it onwards to the Karrakatta Plate."
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 207 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, for whom he won Warick Farm and 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).
Gimmethegreenlight (More Than Ready) is a leading sire in South Africa.
