A
homebred for Darley, two year-old gelding Platinum became the second winner for
Kentucky Derby winner and Dubai World Cup hero Animal Kingdom (USA) when he saluted
at Ballarat on Tuesday beating the half-brother to recently retired Group I
winner Flying Artie.
The John O'Shea trained Platinum ran last on debut in the Listed MRC Debutants
Stakes in the spring and was immediately spelled and gelded.
He returned to finish down the track in the Listed VRC Talindert Stakes won by
Ducimus, but found this 1200 metre maiden event much more to his liking.
Platinum was tenacious to the line to score a short half head win over first
starter Give, a half-brother by Helmet to Flying Artie.
A half-brother to Group II placed Demonstrates, he is the sixth winner for
Swishes and owes his grey colouring to his dam.
Swishes is a half-sister to popular grey Le Zagaletta, a Group II winner of
over $1.3 million and daughter of dashing grey Swiftsynd.
Platinum is the second winner for Animal Kingdom, who did not shuttle last year
after standing for three seasons at Arrowfield and is currently at Darley in
Kentucky standing at a fee of $US30,000.