If David Hayes wins the Everest and his sons take out the King Charles this weekend, they’ll have Sir Patrick Hogan to thank for it.

Not just him but also one of the legendary breeder’s most celebrated and influential broodmares, Taiona.

A 1972 model by Sovereign Edition, Taiona was a treasure in her time, twice crowned New Zealand’s Broodmare of the Year.

But over the next 50 years, her appearance in the family tree of countless stakes-winners and the occasional champion, elevated her to ‘blue hen’ status.

Her flag has never been flown higher in those five decades than now and it is all down to the two Mr’s.

The best sprinter in the world, Ka Ying Rising (originally named Mr Express) and arguably the best miler in the world, Mr Brightside, are both fourth generation descendants of Hogan’s heroine.

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In fact, their respective third dams are sisters, each one by Sir Tristram.

Aside from Hogan himself, there was no man that knew, or admired, Taiona more than Cambridge Stud’s GM and Sir Patrick’s right-hand man for approaching four decades. Marcus Corban.

“Taiona was a big part of really getting Patrick started,” Corban says.

“He bought her on pedigree and the rest is history. Sovereign Red, the Melbourne Cup winner Gurner’s Lane (by sons of Sir Tristram).

“Then Sir Tristram really took that next step and Robert Sangster bought a filly (out of Taiona) called Trichelle who topped the Trentham sales.

“She was trained by the great Colin Hayes and went on to win a Group 1 but then unfortunately she died.”

Sir Patrick Hogan and the legendary stallion Sir Tristram. Photo: Race Images PN

Taiona was one of ‘The Big 3′ at Cambridge.

A trio of broodmares, more or less operating at the same time, that would drive the sale ring and racetrack success of Cambridge Stud bred and New Zealand bred horses into a new realm, sustained to this day.

Taiona, My Tricia and of course Eight Carat.

“You just can’t create these families overnight,” Corban says. “It’s a twenty-plus year job.”

While Taiona was a prized possession at Cambridge Stud, and much loved, she didn’t have the striking appearance of say an Eight Carat.

“She was a big, plain mare,” Corban recalled.

“She just threw big strong foals, nothing pretty but Trichelle was different, she was a very beautiful chestnut filly who had a lot of quality.”

As coveted and collectable as the family was and still is, some did fall through the cracks.

Ka Ying Rising’s dam, Missy Moo, could have been bought for $500 as a yearling.

Her dam, Royal Rhythm, was sold as a broodmare at Karaka in 2011 for $1,000.

Records both on and off the track look set to tumble when Hong Kong superstar Ka Ying Rising takes his place as the headline attraction in this month’s The TAB Everest.https://t.co/eKToqRVCcd

— Racenet (@RacenetTweets) October 5, 2025

Mr Brightside’s mother, Lilahjay, had few friends in the stands at the 2013 NZB Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock sale, selling for $1,400 as a weanling.

Five years on, Lilahjay’s third foal, a colt by Bullbars sold for $22,000 at a nondescript May Yearling Sale at Karaka.

That horse, Mr Brightside, is now the number four ranked top prizemoney earner in Australia and New Zealand.

“Mr Brightside’s strain of Taiona’s blood through Delia’s Choice are just good workmen-like horses, very strong, stout, tough animals,” Corban said.

“He is just Mr Consistent.”

🎥 | @gilbertgardiner and @BradWWaters review Mr Brightside’s incredible win in the Makybe Diva Stakes and find some horses to follow from Flemington. pic.twitter.com/6V5CQHGT6V

— Racenet (@RacenetTweets) September 13, 2025

Cambridge Stud, specifically Sir Patrick Hogan have crafted, designed, raised, sold and laid the groundwork for so many champions that it doesn’t seem right to put one ahead of another.

That said, Corban reckons his old boss, mentor and friend would be proud as anyone to have planted the seed so many years ago that would grow into Ka Ying Rising.

“It’s just incredible the press this horse is getting,” Corban said.

“The way David Hayes managed this horse and brought him to Australia, it is just great for the industry and I hope he wins.”

The same goes for Mr Brightside, a fourth generation Taiona trained by a third generation of Hayes.

“Old Colin would be laughing up there,” Corman says.

And so would Hogan.

So in the event of a Ka Ying Rising Everest and a Mr Brighstide victory in the King Charles, take a moment to remember Sir Patrick Hogan and a big, plain mare called Taiona.