Maine Chance Farms’ multiple champion sire Vercingetorix has had a wonderful few days, and the champion son of champion sire Silvano was at it again at Turffontein on Saturday.

South Africa’s reigning champion sire supplied the first two home in Saturday’s G2 Betway Joburg Spring (1450m), with the Vercingetorix sired champion Gladatorian downing his paternal half-brother I’m Fireball to land the first place cheque of R326562.5.

Trained by Stuart Ferrie, the evergreen Gladatorian was a well supported 4-1 shot for Saturday’s Spring Challenge.
Under a superbly time ride from Tristan Godden, the seven-year-old stormed home to get up and win the 2026 Betway Joburg Spring Challenge convincingly by nearly a length.

Equus Champion Older Male of 2024-2025, Gladatorian was picking up the fourth graded win of his career, with this tally including the 2025 G1 HKJC Champions Cup.
The gelding, who is out of the stakes winning Dynasty mare Harvard Crimson, has won 12 of 36 starts with Gladatorian’s earnings having risen to R3 770 339.

Bred by Erasmus Thoroughbreds, Gladatorian is owned by Messrs E G Hart de Keating, M L Jean Hardy, M J L Nairac, L M Nestadt & Vendel Civils (Pty) Ltd.

Gladatorian was a R400 000 buy from the 2021 National Yearling Sale.

He was one of two winners at Turffontein on Saturday for his sire, with Vercingetorix gelding Sosoru making it three wins from just seven starts when victorious in the eighth race at Turffontein.

The inform Vercingetorix had also enjoyed good success the previous day,with the Maine Chance resident’s high-class daughters Quickstepgal and Arverni Princess both winning their respective races at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Friday night.