Danon Platina

Mauritzfontein’s popular young stallion Danon Platina made headlines at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday when his son Rapidash, a member of his sire’s first crop, won the R7 500 000 Cape Gold Rush over 1600 metres.
Dropped out by Grant Van Niekerk, Rapidash, who had to overcome a wide draw in Saturday’s race, was bought with a strong late run which saw the three-year-old get up close home and go on to win by a neck.

Rapidash  took his earnings to over R5.1 million with his Gold Rush triumph.

Bred by Kilimanjaro Bloodstock, the gelding has now won two of seven starts and he looks unlikely to stop here.

Rapidash, who is out of the War Pass mare My Lovely, hails from the first crop of Japanese champion Danon Platina.

The latter, a son of legendary racehorse and sire Deep Impact, has made a pleasing start with his first crop including not only the aforementioned Rapidash, but also the stakes placed Oni San, Bloodstock SA Sales Cup (Fillies) winner Betula and the classy filly White Pearl. The latter has finished runner up in all of the G3 HSH Princess Charlene Starling Stakes, G3 Betway Fillies Mile and G3 Mother Russia Stakes this season.

Danon Platina, Japan’s Champion 2YO Colt of 2014, has three lots on offer at the 2024 Cape Yearling Sale.

Mauritzfontein’s well performed stallion Danon Platina struck twice on Saturday, when the champion son of Deep Impact was responsibled for winners at both Hollywoodbets Kenilworth and Turffontein.
Danon Platina’s first success on Saturday came when his son Twenty Drachma’s romped home to a facile win in the third race at Turffontein on Saturday.
Under an inform Philasande Mxoli, the gelded three-year-old drew off in the closing stages to claim Saturday’s www.tab4racing.com Maiden Plate (2400m) by a staggering ten lengths.
Trained by Stuart Pettigrew, Twenty Drachma’s was bred by the China Horse Club International.
Fifth last time out, Twenty Drachma’s is out of the Querari mare Dagmar.
The gelding was a R210 000 purchase from the 2022 Cape Yearling Sale.
Danon Platina is also the sire of Harajuku, who won the RaceCape Powered By Hollywoodbets Class 3 at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.
Trained by Justin Snaith, the three-year-old made it two wins from six starts with a courageous short-head win on Saturday.
Bred by Rathmor Stud, Harajuku is out of the Right Approach mare Approach Me.
He was a R550 000 buy from the 2022 Cape Yearling Sale.

Danon Platina has now been responsible for 25 winners from his first crop, with the son of Deep Impact currently above the likes of Trippi, Silvano and Pathfork on South Africa’s Leading Sires of 3YOs log for 2023-2024.
The Japanese champion has two lots on offer at the Cape Racing Premier Yearling Sale Powered By Tattersalls, and a further three lots on sale at the Cape Yearling Sale.

Mauritzfontein’s exciting young sire Danon Platina made news at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday when the champion son of Deep Impact came up with a pair of smart looking winners.
Danon Platina’s gelded son Plaza Accord got off the mark at just the second time of asking when he ran out a convincing winner of Saturday’s Hollywoodbets Durbanville Welcomes You Maiden Plate (1250m), despite making his first start since June.
Under Richard Fourie, the Peter Muscutt-trained three-year-old was always travelling strongly, and Plaza Accord kicked away in the closing stages to score by a length and three-quarters.
Bred by Varsfontein Stud, Plaza Accord is out of the Judpot mare Double Whammy.
The handsome chestnut was a R700 000 buy from the 2022 National Yearling Sale.
Danon Platina also looks to have a very promising daughter to his credit in the form of Japanese Rose. The latter made it back-to-back wins, and two wins from just three starts, when she won Saturday’s Gulf Racing Club Cape B Stakes (F and M) over 1400 metres.
Trained by Brett Crawford, Japanese Rose was always prominent in Saturday’s race and proved far too strongly for her rivals when romping home to score by a length and a half, with another daughter of Danon Platina, Unconquerable Lady, finishing third.
Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, three-year-old Japanese Rose is out of the Redoute’s Choice mare Honorine.
Her sire, and former Japanese Champion, Danon Platina could be set for a big week next weekend. The son of Deep Impact is set to be represented by three runners in Saturday’s G3 Betway Fillies Mile -White Pearl, Betula and Platina Princess.
Danon Platina also has five lots on offer at Sunday’s November Two Year Old Sale, including a filly (Lot 11) from the same family as G1 winners Byword, Proviso, Wandesta and Zambezi Sun among others.

Mauritzfontein’s G1 winning stallion Danon Platina came up with an eye catching pair of winners at the Vaal on Thursday, with the Deep Impact horse’s daughters Shampimpi and Gocekwithlove victorious in the day’s second and third races respectively.

The Candice Dawson trained Shampimpi got off the mark in decisive fashion when she romped home to win Thursday’s Betway Tote Rewards Club Maiden Plate (1200m) in convincing fashion. Under Gavin Lerena, the three-year-old kicked away in the closing stages and drew off to win by two and a quarter lengths.

Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, Shampimpi, who was making her fith start on Thursday, is out of the Tiger Ridge mare Maybe Yes.

Danon Platina is also the sire of Gocekwithlove, who captured the Betway Aviator Maiden Plate (1200m) impressively. Under JP Van Der Merwe, the Mike de Kock trained three-year-old romped home to break her maiden by four and a half lengths.

Bred by Clifton Stud, Gocekwithlove, who had finished second last time out, was making just her third start on Thursday with the filly having finished fourth on debut.

Out of the Joshua Dancer mare Samba Serenade, Gocekwithlove was an R180 000 buy from the 2022 National Yearling Sale.

Japanese champion Danon Platina, who shares his legendary sire Deep Impact with this year’s G1 Betfred Derby winner Auguste Rodin, made a fantastic start with his first two-year-olds last season when he was South Africa’s second Leading First Season Sire for 2022-2023.

The G1 winning two-year-old has three lots on offer at the upcoming Cape Racing Ready To Run And Unbroken Two Year Old Sale, and a further five lots on the November Two Year Old Sale.

Mauritzfontein’s exciting young sire Danon Platina, who is currently involved in a titantic struggle for the title of South Africa’s Leading First Season Sire of 2022-2023, came up with his 17th first crop winner when his two-year-old daughter Mia’s Harper won at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Tuesday.
An eye catching second at her only previous start, Mia’s Harper was sent off a well backed favourite for Tuesday’s Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Welcomes You Maiden Juvenile Plate (Fillies) (1200m). Under a positive ride from Keagan De Melo, the Dean Kannemeyer trained filly hit the front a long way from home, and Mia’s Harper kept finding gamely to go on and score by a comfortable two lengths.
Bred and owned by Khaya Stables, Mia’s Harper is out of the Captain Al mare Captain’s Corner.
She joins an ever growing list of winners for her sire Danon Platina, Japan’s Champion 2YO Colt of 2014. Others include impressive Highveld Winter Juvenile Fillies Stakes winner White Pearl, Bloodstock SA Sales Cup (Fillies) queen Betula, and the likes of Oriental Bouquet, Kyomai, Romance In Rome, and Platina Princess.
Danon Platina was the sire of the first three home in the Highveld Winter Juvenile Fillies Stakes and the first two home in the Bloodstock SA Sales Cup (Fillies) this season.
At the time of writing, Danon Platina had been responsible for more two-year-old winners this season than such star sires as What A Winter, Vercingetorix, Querari, Rafeef and Trippi.
A son of Deep Impact (also sire of the 2023 G1 Betfred Derby winner Auguste Rodin), Danon Platina has 14 lots on offer at the 2023 August Two Year Old Sale.

Mauritzfontein’s red hot young sire Danon Platina came up with his 16th first crop winner when his son Harajuku got off the mark at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Wednesday afternoon.

Trained by Justin Snaith, two-year-old Harajuku had finished second on debut before finishing fourth next time out. However, Harajuku made no mistake in Wednesday’s Cape Racing Sales Maiden Juvenile Plate, when he romped home, under Grant Van Niekerk, to shed his maiden impressively by five lengths.

Bred by Rathmor Stud, Harajuku is out of the Right Approach mare Approach Me.

The colt was a R550 000 purchase from the 2022 Cape Yearling Sale.

Danon Platina, who enjoyed a 100% strike rate at Kenilworth on Wednesday with Harajuku his sole runner on the day, is currently seventh on South Africa’s Leading Sire of 2YOs premiership for 2022-2023.

Other early winners for Danon Platina include Highveld Winter Juvenile Fillies Stakes heroine White Pearl and Bloodstock SA Sales Cup (Fillies) heroine Betula.

Danon Platina shares his legendary sire Deep Impact with numerous equine stars including Japanese Triple Crown winner Contrail. The latter made a huge impression at this week’s JRHA Select Sale, where Contrail had 20 of his first foals sell for in excess of ¥2,570,000,000 and average ¥128,500,000.

Mauritzfontein’s resident stallion Danon Platina, currently South Africa’s second Leading First Season Sire for 2022-2023, enjoyed a big day at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday. Not only did Danon Platina’s two-year-old daughter Betula win Saturday’s Bloodstock SA Sales Cup (Fillies) (1300m), another daughter of the sire, Oriental Bouquet, finished second in that R400 000 feature for two-year-old fillies.
Trained by Stuart Pettigrew, Betula was driven out in the closing stages of Saturday’s race to hold off paternal half-sister Oriental Bouquet and claim her biggest win to date by a short-head.
Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, Betula had finished fifth on debut before breaking her maiden next time out. The filly went on to finish runner-up, behind another Danon Platina filly White Pearl, in the Highveld Winter Juvenile Fillies Stakes, before landing the 2023 Bloodstock SA Sales Cup.
Betula, who has now won twice from just four starts, was an R160 000 purchase from the 2022 National Yearling Sale.
The filly, who is out of the Fastnet Rock mare Boxwood Bouwer, is one of 15 winners to have emerged from Danon Platina’s first crop of runners. This crop also includes impressive Highvevld Winter Juvenile Fillies Stakes winner White Pearl, who finished fifth in Saturday’s G2 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper, and the smart Platina Princess. The latter recently made it two wins from just four starts when she won on KZN Breeders Raceday and she looks like another potentially smart sort for her sire.
Danon Platina, who shares his legendary sire Deep Impact with Sunday’s G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner Auguste Rodin, also had notable success at last week’s KZN Yearling Sale. Danon Platina ended Thursday’s auction as the second Leading Sire by Aggregate, with Danon Platina’s nine-yearlings grossing R2.72 million and averaging R302 222. His top-priced yearling sold was Grey Fantacy (Lot 146), with that Mauritzfontein consigned filly, knocked down to Pound Bloodstock for R550 000.

Japanese champion Danon Platina has made an excellent start with his first runners this season and the son of Deep Impact had another good day at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Saturday when Danon Platina was responsible for two eye catching winners.
His first success at Scottsville came when Danon Platina filly Knockout ran out an easy winner of the first race on the card, the Track And Ball -The Finishing Post Maiden Juvenile Plate (Fillies) over 1200 metres. Trained by Justin Snaith, Knockout powered home, under a confident JP Van Der Merwe, to shed her maiden by just over a length and a quarter.
Bred by Ridgemont Highlands, Knockout had finished fifth on debut before finishing second on her only previous appearance and she looks a progressive filly indeed.
Knockout is out of the Dylan Thomas mare For The Count.
Danon Platina struck again when another two-year-old daughter, Bitcoin Baby, captured the ninth and final race at Scottsville on Saturday. The Michael Miller trained filly sat in second for much of the running of Saturday’s Track And Ball -Umlazi Maiden Plate (F&M) (1600m), before hitting the front 250m from home. From there, the Tristan Godden ridden two-year-old bounded clear to win impressively by nearly three lengths.
Bred by Boland Stud, Bitcoin Baby had finished third last time out and was duly rewarded for consistency with her triumph on Saturday.
Bitcoin Baby, who is out of the Roderic O’Connor mare Parfait, was a R90 000 buy from the 2022 KZN Yearling Sale.
Her sire Danon Platina has now been responsible for 15 two-year-old winners from his first 29 runners, with his early winners including the hugely impressive Highveld Winter Juvenile Fillies Stakes winner White Pearl, a winner of two of her first three starts.
He shares his legendary sire Deep Impact with no fewer than 195 stakes winners including this year’s impressive G1 Betfred Derby winner Auguste Rodin.

Mauritzfontein’s exciting resident stallion Danon Platina dominated Sunday’s Highveld Winter Juvenile Fillies Stakes (1400m) at Turffontein, where his daughters White Pearl, Betula and Platina Princess finished first, second and third respectively.
Second on debut, the Mike de Kock trained White Pearl had impressed when she broke her maiden over 1450m last time out, and she duly made it back to back wins with a fluent display on Sunday.
Under log-leading jockey Keagan De Melo, the two-year-old filly produced an eye catching turn of foot which propelled White Pearl to the front 100m from home, and the filly stayed on strongly to score by nearly a length and a half, with her paternal half-sisters Betula and Platina Princess finishing second and third respectively.
Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, White Pearl has now won twice from three starts and graded stakes surely await her!
Out of the Tiger Ridge mare Oyster Pond, White Pearl was a R450 000 purchase from the 2022 August Two Year Old Sale.
Her sire Danon Platina, Japan’s Champion 2YO Colt of 2014, had a good day at Hollywoodbets Greyville a day earlier, with the stallion’s son Kyomai breaking his maiden in open company, and another son of Danon Platina, Plaza Accord, finishing second on debut.
By the same sire as recent G1 Betfred Derby winner Auguste Rodin, Danon Platina has nine lots on offer at the 2023 KZN Yearling Sale.

Mauritzfontein’s inform young stallion Danon Platina had a memorable day at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday.
Not only did Danon Platina come up with a 13th first crop winner in the form of Kyomai, Danon Platina gelding Plaza Accord made a smashing debut to finish second in the first race at Greyville. Plaza Accord looks a winner in waiting and is yet another promising sort to have emerged from the first crop of his sire.
The Tony Peter trained Kyomai got off the mark when he won Saturday’s LaLiga Maiden Plate over 1400 metres.
Under Denis Schwarz, the Danon Platina colt powered home to win convincingly by just over three-parts of a length.
Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, Kyomai, who began his career in Cape Town, had finished second on debut before, two starts later, finishing third in the Bloodstock SA Sales Cup (C&G) for then trainer Justin Snaith.
Out of the Tiger Ridge mare Folk Dance, Kyomai was a R425 000 buy from the 2022 National Yearling Sale.
His sire Danon Platina, himself a G1 winning champion at two, has nine lots on offer at this year’s KZN Yearling Sale including a filly (Lot 72) out of a half-sister to G1 winning filly Nightingale, a half-sister (Lot 99) to stakes placed pair of Smart Colleen and Troop The Colour, and a filly (Lot 127) out of a three-parts sister to champion filly Lady In Black.