Promising three-year-old Hawk Mountain, whose dual G1 winning dam Hydrangea is a full-sister to Moutonshoek’s red hot sire The United States, showed his class when he won the G3 Prix de Guiche at Chantilly on Monday.
Aidan O’Brien’s Wootton Bassett colt won three of his four starts as a juvenile, culminating with victory in the G1 William Hill Futurity Trophy Stakes at Doncaster in October, and he took full advantage of a dip in grade for his first run of the 2026 campaign.
However, it wasn’t completely plain sailing for jockey Christophe Soumillon aboard the 8/11 favourite, who appeared to race wider than intended on entering the home straight and still showed signs of greenness when asked for his effort to seal the deal inside the final couple of furlongs.
Wearing cheekpieces for the first time in competitive action, Hawk Mountain was never headed in the nine-furlong contest and although Lord Clover challenged on the outside when the market leader appeared to briefly lose focus, he had more than enough class to run on and score with something to spare.
Hawk Mountain can be backed at 3/1 for the Prix du Jockey Club – the French Derby – back at Chantilly on Sunday June 7.
Hawk Mountain is the fourth foal out of the top-class Hydrangea, who had the speed to win the Matron Stakes at a mile and stamina to add the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes to her tally over a mile and a half on testing ground. Her other two runners are Dubawi’s Listed Hurry Harriet Stakes winner Wingspan, who was runner-up in the Fillies & Mares, and last year’s Listed Tetrarch Stakes winner Officer.
The United States is having a wonderful season in 2025-2026, with his flagbearers headed by G1 winners Kingdundee and Tin Pan Alley, as well as such graded stakes winners as Keukenhof and Rodeo Drive.
Mauritzfontein’s G1 winning stallion Danon Platina enjoyed a fine few days this week.
On Wednesday, Danon Platina was responsible for three winners at Fairview, and the following day the son of Deep Legend had a double at the Vaal.
On Thursday, Danon Platina had four runners at the Vaal, with two winning their respective races and his other pair running third in races second and nine respectively.
Danon Platina’s first winner on Thursday came when his two-year-old son Catfish won the Racing Today Maiden Juvenile Plate (1000m).
Under Blaine Marx-Jacobson, the Fabian Habib trained gelding outclassed his rivals, with Catfish drawing off to win as he liked by five and three quarters.
Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, the two-year-old races for Messrs Gareth Kalil, G J Nassif, J Nassif & Tri-Deal Sixteen CC.
Catfish, who is out of the Var mare Sea Cat, was a R260 000 buy from the 2025 Cape Yearling Sale.
Danon Platina’s second winner on Thursday was Umami, who won the For Hospitality Bookings Call 011 681 1796 Maiden Plate (F and M) (1600m). The Paul Matchett trained filly ran on strongly to get up close home and break her maiden by two and a quarter lengths.
Bred by Ridgemont Highlands, Umami races for Messrs M B Bloemstein, D Chinsammy, Kenny Govender, E Naicker, A Reynolds & TKP Racing.
Japan’s Champion 2YO Colt of 2014, Danon Platina is set to be represented by his daughter Regeneration in Sunday’s G3 Dennis Drier Poinsettia Stakes.
Mauritzfontein’s blue blooded stallion Danon Platina was responsible for three winners at Fairview on Wednesday.
The son of Deep Impact went close to having a four-timer with Danon Platina filly Princess Of Ajiaal running third in the first race.
Danon Platina’s first success on Wednesday came when his son Perfect Impact romped home to land the second race as he liked. The Dean Smith trained four-year-old turned the #Youcanbetonus! Maiden Plate (1200m) into a one-horse race, with Perfect Impact drawing off to break his maiden by six and a half lengths.
Perfect Impact, who was having his first start in the Eastern Cape on Wednesday, was bred by Lammerskraal Stud and he races for Khaya Stables.
Out of the Dynasty mare Perfect Air, Perfect Impact was a R1 450 000 buy from the 2023 National Yearling Sale.
His sire struck again on Wednesday when Danon Platina filly Oncidium won the sixth race at Fairview.
Under Nirvan Nastili, the flashy grey showed plenty of heart when running on strongly to claim the Racing Today FM 66 Handicap (F and M) (1600m) by a neck.
One of three winners on the day for Dean Smith, Oncidium races for Colin Gordon, Johnny Gerber & Clint Larsson.
Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, Oncidium is out of the Silvano mare Orchid Island.
Danon Platina’s third and final winner on Wednesday came when his daughter Genovefa won eighth and final race.
Trained by Kelly Mitchley, the four-year-old made it two wins from her last three starts when she won the Next Fairview Racemeeting Friday 24 April FM 72 Handicap (1300m).
Under Muzi Yeni, Genovefa stormed home to get up close home and win by a head.
Bred by Wicklow Stud, Genovefa is out of the Captain Al mare Skipping Gal.
Japanese champion Danon Platina enjoyed good success at the recent National Yearling Sale, where his progeny made up to R500 000.
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 the two day auction, where Digital Age yearlings averaged R410 294.
The top priced Digital Age yearling sold at the 2026 National Yearling Sale was Multi Media (Lot 101).
That colt, consigned to the sale by Mauritzfontein, was sold to Kestorm Investments for R1 000 000.
The regally bred Multi Media, who is bred on a similar cross to classic winner Magna Grecia, is out of the Galileo mare Miss Galidora.
Other yearlings by Digital Age fetched R900 000, R800 000, and R550 000 respectively.
It is not the first time that Digital Age has made a splash in the sales ring. The Invincible Spirit horse had a filly make R550 000 at the Cape Yearling Sale earlier in 2026.
Members of champion Cousin Casey’s illustrious family proved very popular at the recent National Yearling Sale.
The Drakenstein Stud consigned Snap Out Of It (Lot 217), a Vercingetorix colt bred on very similar lines to Cousin Casey, was knocked down to Jonathan Snaith for R2 800 000.
The choicely bred colt is out of G2 Cape Stayers/G3 Victress Stakes winner Snapscan (by Oratorio), whose G3 Final Fling Stakes winning dam Cash Register is a full-sister to the dam of the Vercingetorix sired champion Cousin Casey.
Cash Register, who also won the Listed Ladies Mile, is also the dam of Listed Ibhayi Stakes winner Point Of Sale (by Var).
The latter’s Legislate colt Deed Of Sale was sold to Etienne Braun for R1 100 000 at the National Sale.
Bred by Drakenstein Stud, Deed Of Sale is the second foal for his dam.
Cousin Casey’s outstanding sire Vercingetorix once again dominated proceedings at this year’s National Yearling Sale.
The champion sire was responsible for the three top lots sold at the National Sale, where Vercingetorix colt Red Trix made R5.25 million to top the sale.
The remarkable Vercingetorix was the Leading Sire by Aggregate, with his 29 yearlings grossing R46.2 million and averaging R1 593 103.
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 when he won the first race at Hollywoodbets Scottsville.
Under Craig Zackey, the Duncan Howells trained colt came from nowhere to win the Bet With Colossus Exclusive On www.tote.co.za Maiden Juvenile Plate (1200m) by nearly a length.
Bred by Moutonshoek, Kazenoyoni races for SA Punters Forum Syndicate (Pty) Ltd (Nom: Mr Deva Govender), Messrs G D Bodill, D C Howells, W L Reich, T L Tait, N S Subban & S Gopaul.
Wednesday’s winner, who is out of the Mambo In Seattle mare Bize, was a R275 000 buy from the 2025 National Yearling Sale.
Champion Danon Platina shares his legendary sire Deep Impact with a host of high-class sires, including Real Steel and Saxon Warrior. The former is responsible for Japanese Horse Of The Year, and dual G1 Saudi Cup winner, Forever Young and the latter is the sire of impressive recent G1 The Agency Randwick Guineas winner Sheza Alibi.
Danon Platina has five lots on the Premier Yearling Sale, and a further 18 lots on the National Yearling Sale.
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 won at Turffontein on Saturday afternoon.
Under Blaine Marx-Jacobson, the Tony Peter trained three-year-old tracked the front running Alpine Jet early on in Saturday Racing240 FM 100 Handicap (F and M) (1000m).
Precocious kicked on strongly in the closing stages to get up and win by a length.
Bred by Oldlands Stud, Precocious races for Kestorm Investments.
The filly, who is out of the Vercingetorix mare Sekhmet, has won four of just seven starts.
Her sire Ideal World, who is also the sire of this season’s G1 Betway Summer Cup winner Mocha Blend, has a single lot on offer at the National Yearling Sale.
Mauritzfontein’s exciting young stallion Digital Age enjoyed sales ring success with his first crop when his yearlings went through the ring at Sunday’s Cape Yearling Sale.
The son of Invincible Spirit had yearlings make up to R550 000, with Digital Age ending Sunday’s sale having had four of his five yearlings offered make R1.235 million.
Digital Age’s top priced lot, the joint third top priced yearling sold at the 2026 Cape Sale, was a filly (Lot 105) out of the winning Oracy mare Aunty Carol.
From the family of champion Charles Dickens and impressive debut winner Grapes Of Wrath, the Hemel ‘N Aarde consigned filly is a half-sister to four winners including the smart performer Demanding Dave.
The daughter of Digital Age was sold to Herman Brown for R550 000.
She hails from the first crop of her exciting young sire Digital Age, winner of five races including the 2020 G1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic Stakes.
Digital Age, who earned more than $1.2 million in prize money, won his first three starts before finishing fourth in the G1 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes and second in the Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes.
He is one of more than 150 stakes winners sired by G1 Haydock Park Sprint Cup winner Invincible Spirit, whose progeny have won G1 races in Australia, Britain, Dubai, France, Ireland, and the United States.
Mauritzfontein’s successful sire Ideal World looks to have come up with another smart filly in the form of Precocious.
The latter made it three wins in a row when she won impressively at the Vaal on Tuesday.
Under Blaine Marx-Jacobson, the Tony Peter trained three-year-old defied a merit rating hike with a smooth performance in Tuesday’s SA Derby 4 April FM 84 Handicap (1000m).
Precocious proved far too strong for her rivals, with the Ideal World filly streaking home to score by two lengths.
Bred by Oldlands Stud, Precocious races for Kestorm Investments. Tuesday’s winner, who is out of the Vercingetorix mare Sekhmet, has won her last three starts by an aggregate of nearly ten lengths.
Now a winner of three of just six starts, Precocious shares her sire Ideal World with a host of top-class fillies including champion Smart Call and this season’s G1 Betway Summer Cup winner Mocha Blend.
A son of Kingmambo and champion Banks Hill, Ideal World has a single lot on offer at Sunday’s Cape Yearling Sale -a full-brother (Lot 122) to Listed Wolf Power 1600 winner Irish Pride whose relatives include champions Celtic Grove and Marinaresco.
GENERAL ENQUIRIES
Geraldine Green
Email: geraldine@mauritzfontein.co.za
Tel: +27 53 833 7095
General Manager
Nigel Page
Email: nigel@mauritzfontein.co.za
Cell: +27 83 294 1409
POSTAL ADDRESS
Mauritzfontein (Pty) Ltd
PostNet Suite 230, Private Bag X2,
Northern Cape Mall, Kimberley,
Northern Cape, South Africa, 8300
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