Maine Chance Farms’ champion sire Vercingetorix had a good day on Saturday.
Not only did his sons Daimyo and Nebraas finish first and second in the Listed Allied Steelrode Java Stakes (2400m) at Turffontein, but Vercingetorix made an eye catching, winning debut on the same card.

Winner of the 2024 Listed Woolavington Stakes, five-year-old Daimyo outclassed his field in Saturday’s R250 000 contest.

A second feature race winner on the day for trainer Alec Laird and jockey Calvin Habib, Daimyo made all the running on Saturday. The gelding kept finding in front and stayed on to win impressively by nearly three and a half lengths, with his paternal half-brother Nebraas not disgraced in second.
Bred by Erasmus Thoroughbreds & Syrilla Stud, Daimyo races for Messrs K P Nagendran & R V Norton & Mrs C Nagendran.

Out of the Judpot mare Juxtapose, Daimyo has won four of 15 starts and has earned R530 750.

Vercingetorix also looks to have another exciting sort to his name in the form of Grand Empire. The latter made a winning debut when victorious in Saturday’s Welcome To Allied Steelrode Charity Mile Day Maiden Plate (1160m).
Trained by Sean Tarry, three-year-old Grand Empire was always up with the pace, under S’Manga Khumalo, and he stayed on strongly to win by two lengths.

Bred by Al Adiyaat, Grand Empire races for the Kuhns. The gelding, who is out of the Potala Palace mare Palace Of Dreams, was a R400 000 buy from the 2024 National Yearling Sale.

Vercingetorix is also the sire of 2025 G2 Betway Joburg Spring F and M Challenge winner Callmegetrix, runner up in Saturday’s G2 Allied Steelrode -Onamission Charity Mile.