Great Plains was the first stakes winner for Japanese-bred sire Danon Platina and he remains his only stakes winner but has now added a Grade 3 at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth to his Listed win last season at Hollywoodbets Greyville. However, some promising Danon Platina’s have been showing lately and it might herald a change in fortunes for the Mauritzfontein Stud-based sire. (Picture: Wayne Marks)
Cape Breeders article with additions
Mauritzfontein’s inform stallion Danon Platina had a day to remember on Saturday. The champion son of Deep Impact had a pair of feature race winners at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on the day.
Not only did Danon Platina’s son Great Plains win Saturday’s G3 Cape Classic, but the Danon Platina sired Luhamba Phambili won the Need For Speed Sprint on the same card.
Winner of last season’s Listed Hollywoodbets Sharks Gatecrasher Stakes, the Justin Snaith-trained Great Plains picked up his first graded win when victorious in Saturday’s Cape Classic over 1400 metres.
Under a superbly judged ride from Grant Van Niekerk, Great Plains flew up late to get up and win Saturday’s R300 000 contest by half a length.
It was a smart effort from Great Plains, with the gelded sophomore having made his seasonal debut on Saturday.
Bred by Drakenstein Stud, Great Plains has won four of just seven starts.
Great Plains is owned by Nick Jonsson, who has always believed in the sire, although general belief in the Japanese-bed son of the legendary Deep Impact had begun to dwindle with the black type returns being sparse. Hopefully, the floodgates will now open for Danon Platina.
Great Plains is out of the Var mare Mara.
Danon Platina is also the sire of Luhamba Phambili, who claimed his biggest to date when victorious in the Need For Speed Sprint (1000m) at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.
Trained by Gareth Van Zyl, the gelded three-year-old was always up with the pace in Saturday’s sprint for three-year-olds. When Corne Orffer asked the question, Luhamba Phambili went on to win a shade cosily by a length.
Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, Luhamba Phambili has won twice from just four starts.
Luhamba Phambili, who is out of the Silvano mare Simply Royal, was a R550 000 buy from the 2023 National Yearling Sale.
Danon Platina has been enjoying a good run of late and is also responsible for G2 Betway Joburg Spring Challenge runner-up Wild At War, Listed Settlers Trophy runner-up Rapidash and smart recent debut winner Grey Jet among others.
Japan’s Champion 2YO Colt of 2014, Danon Platina won three of his four starts including the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes a race also won by such stars as Narita Brian, Fuji Kiseki, Admire Mars and Do Deuce.
