Pocket Rocket Defies Size and Position

The weekend amplified the notion that it’s not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog that matters. Emulating a number of small racehorses that have historically belied their physical stature – Northern Dancer being one of them – pint-sized juvenile Hoi An (Long Ma-M’Lady Hallowell, by Wanted) came from last in Perth’s $200,000 Gr3 W.A. Sire’s Produce Stakes (1400m) where she swamped recent Gr2 Karrakatta Plate hero Ex Sport Man (Playing God) – favourite – and second elect Liwa (Mulaazem) to win going away. Trained by Roy Rogers and by a three-quarter brother to Australian-sired leading South African stallion Gimmethegreenlight (More Than Ready), the $13 chance is making a habit of gate-crashing the 2YO parties; just two starts ago she was punted in from $9.00 to $5.50 in the Gr3 Gimcrack Stakes where she defeated boom juvenile Pat’s Got Sass (Patronize), a subsequent agonisingly close-up third in the aforementioned Karakkatta Plate. According to thewest.com.au, Rogers enthused, “Hoi An is so small and lightly-framed, but she’s got a huge heart. The big ticker enabled her to overcome a wide barrier (14) and charge from an impossible position.” He acknowledged, “She was so far back near the home turn, I thought she had no hope. Hoi Ann is a beautiful little filly to train.” Hoi An will now be spelled, with Rogers and owner Craig Thompson plotting success at Ascot’s spring carnival where the Albany-based filly will tackle the $200,000 WA Champion Fillies’ Stakes (1600m) and $500,000 WA Guineas (1600m).