Having operated previously as a remount station for the British Army during the Boer War, Mauritzfontein was bought by Harry and Bridget Oppenheimer in 1945. The couple became involved in horse racing shortly after the war, in the 1940s. Kimberley was headquarters of the De Beers Mining Company, of which Harry Oppenheimer was Chairman, and was represented by Oppenheimer in Parliament, a seat which he held from 1948 to 1957.
A dynasty through the ages
Mauritzfontein is only 15 minutes from the centre of Kimberley, so it seemed the perfect place to build their home from home and begin their breeding operations. In 1951, Mauritzfontein imported its first stallion, Janus who was by Pharis and had been a top-class racehorse in France. Janus was the sire of Tiger Fish (Durban July Handicap), Open Sea and Ellation. He also sired Baccarat and Dame de Coeur- both of whom where back to back winners of the Oaks (1962-62).
Stallions
Stakes Winners Bred
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Mauritzfontein’s exciting young stallion Digital Age made his presence felt at this week’s National Yearling Sale. The son of Invincible Spirit had 17 first-crop yearlings fetch R6 975 000 at…
Mauritzfontein’s resident sire, and Japanese champion, Danon Platina, came up with a good looking debut winner on Wednesday. Danon Platina’s two-year-old son Kazenoyoni made the perfect start to his career…
Mauritzfontein’s top-class sire Ideal World looks to have come up with another good sort in the form of Precocious. The latter made it four wins in a row when she…
Summer Pudding and the Celtic Sea!
Success for Mauritzfontein
