G3 Hobart Cup, $250,000, 2400m
From New Zealand to Hong Kong to Victoria to Tasmania - it has been quite the career for Ho Ho Khan (NZ) (Makfi {GB}) whose performance was a dominant one.
Bred by Gerry Harvey by the former Westbury Stud shuttler Makfi (GB), a triple Group 1-winning son of Dubawi (Ire) (Dubai Millennium {GB}), Ho Ho Khan - racing as Mulanchi - showed early talent in his country of birth before heading to Hong Kong where he won the G3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup.
Twice representing Hong Kong in the G1 Hong International Vase (not disgraced in hot fields on either occasion), he returned to Australia - making his debut for the Mitchell Freedman stable last November.
One of Makfi's 43 stakes winners, he is one of five winners (from six to race) for the unplaced (from four starts) China Choice (Encosta De Lago) - also dam of the Listed Just Now H. winner East Asia (NZ) (Swiss Ace) and the Hong Kong winner Amazing Feeling (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}).
Served in 2021 by Telperion (Street Cry {Ire}), China Choice (who also has a yearling filly by Tarzino {NZ}) is a daughter of the G2 Hill S. winner Mulan Princess (NZ) (Kaapstad {NZ}) whose daughter Royal Descent (Redoute's Choice) won the G1 ATC Oaks.
Mulan Princess is one of the three stakes winners produced by the G3 Lion Brown S. winner Madam Valeta (NZ) (Palace Music {USA}); Falkirk (NZ) (Tale Of The Cat {USA}) and Luscilla (NZ) (Entrepreneur {GB}) the others.
Madam Valeta's dam Lovenvain (Vain) was also a high-class broodmare, producing the dual Group 1 winner Golden Sword (NZ) (Kaapstad {NZ}), the triple Listed winner Greta Hall (NZ) (Kaapstad {NZ}) and the Listed winner Balmoral Keep (NZ) (Balmerino {NZ}).
Listed Thomas Lyons S., $125,000, 1400m
It had been eight years since a successful Victorian raid on this race (the Stephen Theodore-trained Road Trippin' by Charge Forward), the mainlander More Than Exceed (NZ) (More Than Ready {USA}) able to equal that accomplishment on Sunday.
The Phillip Stokes-trained 6-year-old had not won for a while - the 2020 Mildura Cup his most recent success - but he has always had a touch of class as evidenced by his prizemoney tally in excess of $400,000 leading into this race.
Bred by Raffles Dancers, NZ, More Than Exceed is the 213th stakes winner for his now retired high-achieving sire. A $260,000 graduate of the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, he is one of just two named foals (the other Owners' Prestige by Testa Rossa being a four-time winner in the US) produced by the unlucky broodmare Exceedingly Regal (Exceed And Excel).
Producing only one live foal since More Than Exceed's birth (a Flying Artie 2-year-old colt), the stakes-placed Exceedingly Regal missed in 2021 - served last spring by Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon).
Exceedingly Regal's dam is a half-sister to the G1 Thousand Guineas winner Lady Of The Pines (Bluebird {USA}) from the family of the Group 1 miler Caledonian Boy (Plush) and the stakes winners Heaps Of Fun (Rory's Jester), Storm Approach (Purrealist), Vigil (Danehill {USA}), Throssell (Captain Sonador) and Caledonian Planet (Planet Kingdom).
This is the Chelandry (GB) (Goldfinch {GB}) family that was represented by another two stakes winners on the weekend - This'll Testya (Testa Rossa) and Argentia (Frankel {GB}).
By a stallion out of a mare bred on the same Northern Dancer (Can) (Nearctic {Can})/Mr Prospector (USA) (Raise A Native {USA}) cross, More Than Exceed also carries crosses of the influential mares Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}), Almahmoud (USA) (Mahmoud {Fr}) and Glamour (USA) (Nasrullah {Ire}).
