DANON’S MIA WINS IN THE WET

Scientists say that the heavy rains that have been hammering the Western Cape in recent months are ‘at least as rare as one-in-20 to one-in-100 years’ and Cape Racing found themselves under Mother Nature’s cosh again on Tuesday.

The Hollywoodbets Kenilworth racemeeting was postponed after the running of the first race after a period of heavy rain.

After the odds-on favourite Mia’s Harper won the first, the jockeys returned with concerns about the visibility and underfoot conditions.

Cape Racing Executive Justin Vermaaak confirmed that two horses had galloped under experienced jockeys JP van der Merwe and Grant Van Niekerk on Tuesday morning at

10h00. Based on what the riders reported, and the weather forecast, a decision was made to proceed with the racemeeting.

Regrettably, heavy rain fell prior to and during the first race.

“I personally walked the course and can only support the jockeys in their concerns about the surface and visibility. The conditions were bad and we do not wish to risk injury to life and limb of horse or rider. It is regrettable that the weather forecast went against us,” added Vermaak.

The balance of the meeting will be run at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Wednesday, 26 July.

Mia’s Harper was 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, 17th first crop winner.

An eye catching second at her only previous start, Mia’s Harper was sent off a well backed favourite for the Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Welcomes You Maiden Juvenile Plate (Fillies) run in the near dark over 1200m.

Under a positive ride from Keagan De Melo, the Dean Kannemeyer trained filly hit the front a long way from home, and 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 Gr1 Betfred Derby winner Auguste Rodin, Danon Platina has 14 lots on offer at the 2023 August Two Year Old Sale.