Hasselhoof's three year-old half-brother by
champion Australian sire Exceed and Excel lived up to his pre-race reputation
with a hollow debut victory at Matamata on Wednesday.
The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained Maraini at outside the leader to
the turn and rounded off well in the straight to open his account.
"He's got a lot of ability and he's obviously well-related," Forsman said.
"We'll take him along quietly to give him more confidence. A better track will
suit him even more as well."
Maraini's sibling Hasselhoof, himself a debut winner, hasn't raced since he
finished third in the Group I Livamol Classic.
Already a Group II winner, his long-term aim is the Group I Barfoot &
Thompson Auckland Cup on March 11.
A $120,000 NZB Premier purchase for Bruce Perry Bloodstock from the Pencarrow
Stud draft, Maraini is also a sibling to stakes-winner Vercors and is the fifth
winner from Zabeel mare Alpine, a placed half-sister to Group I winner Lord
Ted.