Australian-bred Danehill mare Petite Dane was represented by a Listed winner in South Africa on Friday night when Danish Silver landed the Michaelmas Handicap (1900m) at Greyville.

Danish Silver’s victory would not have come as a surprise to owner-breeder Sabine Plattner.  He showed genuine promise when notching up a quick hat-trick early in his career, prompting a tilt at the Daily News 2000 of his year. It was a bit too soon, though, and a no-show there was followed by a fairly length break and loss of form.

Danish Silver (5g Silvano – Petite Dane by Danehill) was the first stakes winner for Yogas Govender who took over from Brett Crawford as private trainer for Plattner in August.

“I would say the win means a lot to Mrs Plattner because Petite Dane holds a special place in her heart,” Govender said at Greyville.  “Petite Dane won ten times and was one of her first Australian imports by Danehill.”

Petite Dane was a $230,000 purchase from the Glenmorgan Farm draft at the 1998 NZ premier yearling sale.  She is an older half-sister to Beauty School (Royal Academy) who was a Listed winner of the 2007 MRC Blue Diamond Preview.

Govender has some beautifully-bred youngsters in his stables at Cape Town and Durban including some of the progeny by Plattner’s Australian bred mares First Burst, Burst Two and Group 1 sprinter Laisserfaire.

The Greyville meeting on Friday night also saw Australian bred stallion Tropical Empire boost his bank to R786,400.  He has now won 8 races from 30 starts in South Africa.

Tropical Empire (7h Second Empire – Tropical Touch by Pago Pago) was sold to Chip Pennells out of the Canardly Stud draft at the 2004 Perth Magic Millions for $17,000.  His biggest win to date was in the G2 Betting World 1900 at Greyville in May.

Tropical Empire is by Second Empire who shuttled from Coolmore to Heytesbury Stud for four seasons until 2003 when he was transferred to South Africa.  He now stands at Lion River Stud in the Western Cape.