Farm news

The South African racing and breeding pulled off a notable coup when Mauritzfontein secured the services of top racehorse Digital Age for the 2022/2023 breeding season.
A son of world leading sire, and outstanding sire of sires, Invincible Spirit, Digital Age was a multiple graded stakes winner whose five career wins included a triumph in the 2020 G1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic Stakes at Churchill Downs.

The Chad Brown trained colt, who won the Turf Classic at four, also showed top-class form as a three-year-old with Digital Age landing the G2 American Turf Stakes at three and also finishing runner up in the Saratoga Derby Invitational.
Digital Age, who earned in excess of $1.263 million during his career, accounted for some outstanding performers during his career. Among those beaten by the son of Invincible Spirit were the G1 winners Bowies Hero, Cape Of Good Hope, Casa Creed, Henley’s Joy, Ivar, and Rockemperor.
The exciting Digital Age represents the best of all worlds as a stallion prospect -not only is he a top-class racehorse, but is a son of one of the world’s most popular and successful stallions.

Digital Age is one of more than 130 stakes winners sired by Green Desert’s G1 Haydock Park Sprint Cup winning son Invincible Spirit. Already responsible for 20 G1 winners, Invincible Spirit has already proved to be an excellent sire of sires. His once beaten, champion son Kingman rates among the best stallions in Britain, while his son I Am Invincible is currently leading the Australian General Sires List for the 2021-2022 season. (Already the sire of more than 40 stakes winners, Kingman stands for a fee of 150,000 pounds).

Other sons of Invincible Spirit to have sired G1 winners include Lawman, Mayson, Shalaa and Territories, while a pair of the stallion’s sire sons National Defense (whose first runners included the Breeders’ Cup winning Twilight Gleaming) and Profitable both made cracking starts with their first two-year-olds last season.

Invincible Spirit is also the sire of the Coolmore Stud based 2000 Guineas winner Magna Grecia, whose first crop are yearlings in 2022.

From the same Green Desert male line as current boom Cape sire Querari, Digital Age also sports a stellar female line to his name.
A half-brother to last year’s G3 winning two-year-old Acer Alley, Digital Age is out of a mare by US champion, and outstanding broodmare sire, Lemon Drop Kid. The latter, a maternal grandson of Lassie Dear, sired more than 100 stakes winners and ranks as broodmare sire of more than 70 stakes winners (among the notable performers thrown by daughters of Lemon Drop Kid are the Breeders’ Cup winners Bar Of Gold and Forever Unbridled).

Digital Age, whose first three dams are by Lemon Drop Kid, Sadler’s Wells and Darshaan respectively, is out of a half-sister to a G1 winning two-year-old, in the form of Moyglare Stud Stakes winner Cursory Glance, and his fifth dam is outstanding racemare, and Epsom Oaks victress, Time Charter.
Mauritzfontein have been able to secure this exciting prospect with the help of Ridgemont Highlands and Wilgerbosdrift.

The syndicate will comprise 50 shares and each share will get a bonus service in the first 4 seasons.
The share price (which includes transport from Kentucky, ARM insurance and first season congenital infertility) is currently R105,000 per share. (It could vary slightly depending on exchange rate)
Should you wish to join the syndicate, or require further information, please contact Jehan Malherbe on 083 252 8147 or email Jehan at jehan@aro.co.za

Legendary Japanese sire Deep Impact’s great year in 2021 continued when his son Glory Vase captured Sunday’s G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase and daughter Loves Only You won Sunday’s G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup.
Loves Only You was Japan’s big hope on the day as she lined up for the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup, the last of the four top-level races. The 5-year-old Deep Impact mare owned by DMM Dream Club was the heavy favorite after winning the G1 Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf in her last start. Earlier in the year, she won the G1 FWD Queen Elizabeth II Cup and finished third behind Mishriff and Chrono Genesis in the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic.
Under Yuga Kawada, Loves Only You came with late rush in Sunday’s 2000m contest to get up and win by short head.

The five-year-old daughter of Deep Impact is set to retire to stud, with Loves Only You having won eight of her 16 starts, including four G1 races.
Her paternal half-brother Glory Vase claimed his second win in the Hong Kong Vase, with that Deep Impact entire having won the Vase previously in 2019.
Six-year-old Glory Vase languished at the back of the field through most of the race as Hong Kong-based rider Joao Moreira judged the timing perfectly. Swinging widest of all into the stretch, he found G1 Coronation Cup winner Pyledriver sprinting for home with a clear lead.
Gobbling up ground, Glory Vase hit the front with 50 meters to go and edged away to win by one length over Pyledriver, completing the distance in 2:27.07.

Now deceased, Deep Impact had another massive year in 2021, with his progeny also capturing such races as the G1 Cazoo Oaks, G1 Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, G1 Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes, G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks, and G1 Japan Cup.

Mauritzfontein is home to the only son of Deep Impact standing at stud in South Africa in the form of Danon Platina.
The latter, bred on the same cross as champion and 2021 Japan Cup winner Contrail, was Japan’s Champion 2YO Colt of 2014.

Danon Platina’s eagerly awaited first yearlings go on sale in 2022.

The late, great Deep Impact, whose champion son Danon Platina stands at Mauritzfontein, enjoyed another notable posthumous success when his daughter Loves Only You captured Saturday’s G1 Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar.
A first Breeders’ Cup winner for her legendary sire, Loves Only You split favoured War Like Goddess and My Sister Nat to land Saturday’s $2 million contest.
In April, Loves Only You won the FWD Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1) at Sha Tin, leading home four Japan-based runners. It marked the first time Japan-based runners had taken the top four spots in that top Hong Kong event.
Prominently placed in fourth or fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf throughout by jockey Yuga Kawada, Loves Only You was patient as she encountered traffic in the lane before finding a seam inside the sixteenth pole to deliver her winning surge.
Loves Only You prevailed by a half-length over My Sister Nat; completing the 1 3/8-mile race in 2:13.87 on firm turf. War Like Goddess held third, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of dual English classic winner Love in fourth.

A full-sister to G1 Dubai Turf winner Real Steel, five-year-old Loves Only You is set to return to Hong Kong for the Longines Hong Kong International Races meeting Dec. 12, where connections have accepted an invitation for the $3.85-million G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup.

Nine times champion sire in Japan, Deep Impact has had another fantastic posthumous year, with his other flagbearers including triple Oaks winner Snowfall and G1 Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes king Profondo.

His G1 winning son Danon Platina, Japan’s Champion 2YO Colt of 2014, is set to have his first yearlings on sale in 2022.

Mauritzfontein’s high-class Kingmambo horse Ideal World continues to churn out winners all over South Africa, and the proven G1 sire struck twice again at the Vaal on Tuesday.
Ideal World’s first success on Tuesday came when his Paul Peter trained son Ablueazure claimed the second race.

Under Craig Zackey, the gelded three-year-old powered home to break his maiden by a length and three-quarters, while scoring over 1400m.
Ablueazure, who was making just his fourth start on Tuesday, was bred by the Ascot Stud.

Tuesday’s winner was produced by the Nicconi mare African Sky.

Ideal World’s second success on Tuesday came when his Barend Botes/ Yolandie Vosloo trained daughter Eternity Ring won the sixth race at the Vaal.
Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein (and one of two winners on the day for her dam Loupe), Eternity Ring pulled clear, under Muzi Yeni, to land the RA Tops Up Feature Race Stakes MR 94 Divided Handicap by nearly a length and three-quarters.

The progressive three-year-old has now won four times, and looks unlikely to stop here!

Sire of South Africa’s reigning Horse Of The Year Rainbow Bridge, among many others, Ideal World has five lots on the November Two Year Old Sale.

Fresh off supplying impressive recent G1 Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes winner Profondo, legendary Japanese sire Deep Impact came up with a 53rd posthumous G1 winner on Sunday.
The Deep Impact sired Akaitorino Musume provided her sire with more top-level success when she captured Sunday’s G1 Shuka Sho (2000m) at Hanshin on Sunday.

Trained by Sakae Kunieda and ridden by Keita Tosaki, the three-year-old filly beat dual Group 3 winner Fine Rouge by half a length in the ten-furlong contest on turf, with Group 2 winner Andvaranaut the same distance further back in third.
Starting fourth favourite here, Akaitorino Musume was settled in sixth position but hit tear gear rounding the home turn and was in front with half a furlong to run. This year’s Japanese 1,000 Guineas winner Sodashi started odds-on in the field of 16 and there may have been an excuse for her rather laboured performance.

Akaitorino Musume’s outstanding sire Deep Impact has had another outstanding year in 2021. The now deceased Japanese legend is also responsible for 16 length G1 Cazoo Oaks winner Snowfall and the above mentioned Profondo this year, while Deep Impact’s French classic winning daughter Beauty Parlour is the dam of recent G1 First Lady Stakes winner Blowout.

Mauritzfontein is home to the only son of Deep Impact at stud in South Africa in the form of Danon Platina.
The latter, Japan’s Champion 2YO Colt of 2014, will be represented by his first yearlings in 2022. Watch this space!

Legendary stallion Deep Impact, whose top-class son Danon Platina stands at Mauritzfontein, supplied a remarkable 52nd G1 winner when his exciting three-year-old son Profondo captured the G1 Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.

Given a positive ride by Robbie Dolan from an outside barrier, the Richard Litt-trained Profondo did some work early to sit outside of the Tivaci filly Never Been Kissed and the two drew clear to fight the race out.
The strikingly handsome Profondo was strong to the line to defeat Never Been Kissed by two and a quarter lengths with the Teofilo gelding Alegron a half-length back in third.
Profondo was making just his third start after winning over 1400m on the Kensington track at Randwick before a troubled second to Head Of State in the Group III Gloaming Stakes at Rosehill.

Profondo provided rider Robbie Dolan with his first G1 success, and the blue blooded colt is now likely to have a break.

The son of Deep Impact was the $1.9 million sale topper at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2020.

Nine times champion sire in Japan, Deep Impact has had another great, posthumous year in 2021, with his flagbearers including 16 length G1 Cazoo Oaks winner Snowfall.

His high-class son Danon Platina, his sire’s only son at stud in South Africa, will be represented by his first yearlings in 2022.