The above smashing looking Digital Age filly was the first foal born in South Africa this breeding season and today weighed in at 54kg (Picture: Supplied)

Mauritzfontein Stud’s new stallion Digital Age’s first foal, a filly out of the Silvano mare Mrs Simpson, was born at Mauritzfontein on 24 July.

She was the first foal born in the country for this thoroughbred breeding season.

In the old days she would have been declared a one-year-old on August 1, but fortunately that rule has changed and all early foals are accorded the same age as the crop they were intended to be part of.

There have already been five foals born at Mauritzfontein.

They include the below filly, who is by Danon Platina out of the Met winner Smart Call.

Mrs Simpson, a Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein-bred out of the Jet Master mare Express Queen, won her first two races for Mike de Kock in late 2018 but after running unplaced in a Gr 3 she was sidelined for more than eight months and ran unplaced in three further runs.

The Digital Age filly is her fourth foal and fourth filly.

She has previously produced a Rafeef filly, an Ideal World filly and a Danon Platina filly, although she is yet to have a runner.

The acquisition of the Gr 1-winning Digital Age, a son of Green Desert’s Gr 1 Haydock Sprint Cup-winner Invincible Spirit, was a coup for Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein.

Invincible Spirit has produced 22 individual Gr 1 winners, including eight Gr 1-winning two-year-olds.

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT DIGITAL AGE 

Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein have just been crowned South African champion breeders for the third time, so are on a high at present.

This Rafeef colt out of Mrs O was born last night (Picture: Supplied)

South Africa’s newest stud farm, Paardeberg Stud, was founded last year during the foaling season, so a Rafeef colt out of the three time-winning Oratorio mare Mrs O is the first foal of their first full foaling season.

Although many farms have their mares foal down in the paddock, Paardeberg’s experienced stud manager Sally Bruss does the foaling down in the stable and then turns them out thereafter.

The Rafeef colt was born last night, but has not been turned out yet because everything is wet and muddy at present.

He is Mrs O’s third foal.

Mrs O, who is out of the Western Winter mare Ginger Hill, won on debut for Mike Azzie and Piere Strydom from a wide draw over 1000m at Turffontein Inside after being backed in to 5/2.

She dead-heated for first third time out over 1160m and then ran second in the Gr 2 Jo’Burg Spring Fillies And Mares Challenge.

Her last career win in 30 starts was in the Non-Black Type Gold Rush Sprint over 1100m at odds of 28/1 and that saw her go to a career high merit rating of 94.

Mrs O’s first foal was Priscilla Maisey by Var and this Glen Kotzen-trained filly, bred by Paardeberg’s Stud’s part-owner Steve Ajax and owned by Paardeberg Stud, has had two thirds and a fourth in four starts.

Mrs O’s second foal was a filly by What A Winter and she is a hitherto  unraced two-year-old.

Crocodile River is a half-sister to Skukuza, who is pictured above (blue colours) finishing second in the Britannia Stakes at the Royal Ascot meeting off a 90 offiicial rating. (Picture: Alan Crowhurst (Racing Post))

The Gaynor Rupert homebred Oasis Dream filly Crocodile River, who is out of Trippi mare Shingwedzi, could represnt good value in a Yarmouth Maiden over six furlongs tomorrow (Wednesday 19H10 SA Time).

This Ed Dunlop-trained filly caught the eye on debut in a Newbury Novice event over six furlongs at the beginning of July.

She has plenty of substance and ran on from last, passing one or two.

Second time out she faded from a handy position in a seven furlong Novice event at Newmarket.

However, as she is by the top class sprinter Oasis Dream and strongly built she might well appreciate the step down to six furlongs.

The Yarmouth maiden should also be weaker than the Newbury Novice, where she was not disgraced.

Her Trippi dam Shingwedzi won three times from 1600m to 1800m but did have stamina as she was placed in Gr 2’s over 2000m, 2500m and 2800m.

Crocodile River’s half-sister by Blue Point, Skukuza, finished a fine second in the Britannia Stakes over a mile at the Royal Ascot meeting.

Skukuza is a progressive one-time winner and hopefully Crocodile River proves to be equally progressive.

The 20/1 odds could be worth taking.

Mascherina being ked in by Peter Muscutt’s assistant trainer Vanessa Beets after Tristan Godden had ridden her to victory in the Listed Off To Stud Stakes (Candiese Lenferna Photography) 

Handicapping Ratings Update (NHA Press Release)

OFF TO STUD STAKES (Listed) 

The well weighted MASCHERINA remains unchanged on a rating of 95 after landing the Listed Off To Stud Stakes over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday.

It was 3rd placed ELEMBEE, who was deemed to be the most suitable line horse in this contest and as such she remains on a rating of 84. The specific conditions of this race do not allow for an increase in the ratings of placed runners. Consequently, 2nd placed QUANTUM and 4th placed PERILLA remain unchanged on ratings of 81 and 82 respectively despite running to higher figures.

Five horses received drops in their ratings. LITTLEMARYSUNSHINE and CRAZY BLUES received slight drops of 1 point each, from 96 to 95, and from 79 to 78 respectively. CAPETOWN BEAUTY dropped to 76 from 78, while VIRGINIA SWEET dropped to 92 from 96.  Lastly, REEFWAY received a 2-point drop from 88 to 86.

Richard Fourie extracts a devastating late surge from Lucky Lad (far side) to just get up in the Gr 1 Golden Horse Sprint (Candiese Lenferna Photography) 

Richard Fourie received the most votes in the Emperor’s Palace Ride Of The Month competition for June for his ride on Lucky Lad in the Gr 1 Golden Horse Sprint, which he won by a head in a thrilling blanket finish.

The first correct voter to be drawn out of the hat in the draw for the prize was Gavin Pickford

He wins:

1 x Night stay at Graceland for 2 including breakfast
1 x round of golf for 2
1 x Dinner Voucher

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE ABOUT GRACELAND’S STAY AND PLAY GOLF PACKAGES

Here is the Turf Talk description of Richard’s ride and the replay can be clicked on at the bottom:

Lyle Hewitson made his debut in Australia yesterday (Monday) at Pakenham racecourse near Melbourne and in five rides his return was three fifth place finishes and an eighth and a ninth.

Three of his rides were for the Robbie Griffiths/Matthew de Kock yard.

Two of his mounts were longshots, another of them was also double figures and his best rides were on one paying Aus$8.00 on the Tote and one paying Aus$4.50 on the Tote.

Hewitson did not ride today and is not riding tomorrow (Wednesday).

However, he is reported to be staying in Aus until August 21.

Meanwhile, New Zealand champion jockey Warren Kennedy scored a blank in his first meeting of the new season on Saturday.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH WARREN REVIEWING HIS CHAMPIONSHIP-WINNING SEASON 

Gocekwithlove (Danon Platina) completes a quick hattrick for Sean Veale and Alan Greeff (Pauline Herman Photography) 

Sean Veale, in the absence of holidaymaking Richard Fourie, rode a treble on the Fairview poly today (Tuesday) for East Cape champion trainer Alan Greeff.

Greeff had a four-timer, while Kelly Mitchley had a double.

Veale has taken an early lead in the national jockeys championship with seven wins this season, while Greef has had five wins this season and Mitchley has had four.

Taken from https://www.saeva.co.za/brief-history-equine-private-practice-sa/

In 1811 Thoroughbred stallions of the best blood were imported from England and until 1870 a great improvement took place in the horse in SA, which showed all the desirable qualities that correctly mated Arabians and Thoroughbreds gave to each other.

The year 1871 had a severe negative impact on horse-breeding in SA, because the era of the tram was ended in London, and these horses (blood weeds) came on the market.

Overseas dealers flooded the country with bad, moody, cull Thoroughbreds that severely damaged many years of good breeding.

Many breeders resisted the invasion of these ‘imported horses’, and continued to breed good horses.

However, the damage had been done.