Hoops shows staying quality at Seymour

Danny O’Brien’s conditioning skills were to the fore when Hoops produced a strong staying performance to score at Seymour.

The Flemington trainer had produced the Waikato Stud-bred and sold Tivaci mare to finish a resuming fourth at Sandown last month and she successfully stepped up to 2040 metres on Sunday afternoon to post the second win of her career.

Runner-up in last season’s Listed Tasmanian Oaks, Hoops settled back of midfield before improving near the turn and she produced a storming finish down the outside under rider Jamie Mott.

“Danny left it up to me from the wide gate and I was able to tuck in behind,” Mott said.

“We got held up momentarily at the 600 and then I was able to build into the race. She’s a good stayer with quite a bit of ability.”

Hoops is the first foal of the unraced Savabeel mare Caramel Sundae and was sold at the Magic Millions Coast Yearling Sale to O’Brien Racing for A$190,000.

From the family of the late multiple Group 1 winner and successful sire Sacred Falls, Caramel Sundae’s as yet unraced three-year-old Tivaci colt sold to Bahen Bloodstock for A$350,000 at the Gold Coast last year.

The mare has subsequently produced a pair of Ocean Park fillies and is due to foal again to Tivaci this year.