Tuesday saw Castletown Stud graduate Hoffman (3g New Bay – Nordkappe, by High Chaparral) make a winning return to action over a mile and a half at Brighton.
Last seen in January when finishing fourth, the Andrew Balding-trained chesnut was sent off favourite on handicap debut and was ridden to make all by David Probert. Quickening from three furlongs out, he showed signs of inexperience approaching the two furlong marker and kept on strongly inside the final furlong to win by two and a half lengths.
There should be more to come from Hoffman, who was sold by Castletown Stud at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale.