Hoi An Stakes a Claim for Best in the West

Mark Smith - Sunday April 18

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.

Hoi An (image Western Racepix)

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.

Advertisement

“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.

Advertisment

Race Result - W.A. Sires' Produce Stakes Gr3 1400m

Ascot Track: Good(4) Time: 1:24.56
1
Hoi An
- 2f Longma (AUS) x M'lady Hallowell (AUS) (Wanted (AUS))
Tnr: Roy Rogers Rdr: S O'Donnell 54.5
2
0.5
Ex Sport Man
- 2g Playing God (AUS) x Buhn Lert (AUS) (Oratorio (AUS))
Tnr: S J Wolfe Rdr: T Turner 56.5
3
1.3
Liwa
- 2f Mulaazem (AUS) x Sboog (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: Simon Miller Rdr: P Carbery 54.5
4
2.4
Featherweight
- 2g Snippetson (AUS) x Prime Knockout (AUS) (Mossman (AUS))
Tnr: D L Morton Rdr: Chris Parnham 56.5
5
3.1
Far Too Strong
- 2g All Too Hard (AUS) x Cailin Miss (AUS) (Domesday (AUS))
Tnr: L Smith Rdr: Joseph Azzopardi 56.5
6
3.8
I Can See Clara
- 2c Lucky Street (AUS) x Sweet Lorraine (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: T M Andrews Rdr: C Johnston-Porter 56.5
7
3.9
Heavenly Waters
- 2f Headwater (AUS) x Serafina (AUS) (Snitzel (AUS))
Tnr: Roy Rogers Rdr: Lucy Warwick 54.5
8
4.0
My Fury
- 2f My Admiration (AUS) x Furious Dame (AUS) (Universal Ruler (AUS))
Tnr: D T McAuliffe Rdr: J Whiting 54.5
9
4.1
Diamond Blue
- 2g Awesome Rock (AUS) x Joyeux (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: E A Martinovich Rdr: Jade Mc Naught 56.5
10
5.2
Awesome Rival
- 2f Awesome Rock (AUS) x Bayella (AUS) (Danehill Express (AUS))
Tnr: Daniel O'Connor Rdr: B Parnham 54.5
11
6.1
Be Optimistic
- 2f Blackfriars (AUS) x Mekie's Dream (AUS) (Pluck (USA))
Tnr: Luke Fernie Rdr: P Knuckey 54.5
12
6.3
Kaymay
- 2f Awesome Rock (AUS) x Dark Queen (AUS) (Bletchley Park (IRE))
Tnr: Sue Olive Rdr: Ms K Yuill 54.5
13
6.6
Green And Shady
- 2g Vert De Grece (IRE) x Darkling (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: Luke Fernie Rdr: Mitchell Pateman 56.5
14
15.9
Extorio
- 2f Oratorio (AUS) x Deb's Delight (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: M Santich Rdr: Ryan Hill 54.5
More Reading...
Doubtland 2YO All On Red Smashes Them Again at Ascot
Widden Stud's Doubtland has a potential 2YO topliner in Perth in the shape of exciting WA colt All On Red, who remains undefeated from two starts after another comprehensive Ascot Saturday win.
Sires With Winners - Sunday October 26
Here is the full list of 74 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sale Cup Winner Adds to Fastnet Rock Super Weekend
It’s been quite the weekend for the late great champion sire Fastnet Rock with a Cox Plate quinella on Saturday and then on Sunday he produced a new stakes-winner when seven year-old gelding El Rocko captured the $200,000 Listed Sale Cup (1600m).
Transatlantic Takes $1million Five Diamonds Prelude
Transatlantic’s lucrative spring carnival continued at Randwick with an arrogant victory in the $1m Five Diamonds Prelude.
Wootton Bassett and Camelot 2YO Colts Win Final French Group Ones
The last French Group I races of their flat season were run on Sunday and Aidan O’Brien produced the winners of both the Group I Criterium International (1600m) and Group I Criterium de Saint Cloud (1800m).
Undefeated 3YO King of Light Wins Listed Belgravia
Dan Morton's exciting three year old King Of Light (Earthlight) remains unbeaten in three starts, as the gelding graduated to stakes company with a scintillating first up victory in the Listed Belgravia Stakes on Cox Plate Day at Ascot.
From FNQ To Sha Tin - Aussie Bred Sprinter Wins G2 Premier Bowl
Some horses arrive in Hong Kong with a very different back story - Fresh from winning the $20million The Everest with Ka Ying Rising, David Hayes was back in the winner’s list at Sha Tin on Sunday when Tomodachi Kokoroe won the Group II Premier Bowl (1200m).
Hi Yo Sass Bomb Wins G3 on Sunday
Kim Reid bypassed a Group One in favour of Sunday’s Gr.3 Gee and Hickton Funeral Directors Thompson Handicap (1600m) at Trentham with Hi Yo Sass Bomb, a decision that paid dividends when the mare led from the outset to claim her third stakes success.
Yes Yes Yes 3YO Shooting for G2 on Monday
Last year’s Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) set Savaglee up for Group One glory in Christchurch, and Matamata trainer Pam Gerard is hoping to follow a similar blueprint in 2025 with her Yes Yes Yes 3YO Affirmative Action..
Cream Rises at Trentham
A half-sister by Hello Youmzain (Fr) to dual Group I winner Mustang Valley, exciting filly Cream Tart is set to line up in one of the major three-year-old races over New Zealand Cup Week following her impressive win in Sunday’s Upper Hutt Car Sales LTD Three-Year-Old (1400m) at Trentham.