Maine Chance Farms’ outstanding sire Vercingetorix came up with his fifth G1 winner when his Riverton Stud bred son Astrix caused a 66-1 upset to claim Saturday’s R2 000 000 G1 Tab The Premier’s Champions Challenge (2000m) at Turffontein.
In lifting the R1 200 000 first prize, Astrix joins Ambiorix, Chansonette, Pomp And Power and Vernichey as a G1 winner sired by Vercingetorix.

Astrix, a fourth graded winner on Saturday for trainer Paul Peter, was given a great ride by JP Van Der Merwe.
Van Der Merwe kept his mount just off the front running Savannah Storm and bought his mount to the front shortly after the field turned for home and the pair exploded out of the pack.

Fancied filly Sparkling Water (sired, like Vercingetorix, by Silvano) produced a strong late finish which seemed to take her into the lead, but Astrix fought back gamely to claim the first graded win of his career to score by a head.

Now a seven time winner, Astrix (who hailed from Vercingetorix’s first crop) had previously finished second in both the 2020 G3 Victory Moon Stakes and 2021 G2 Allied Steelrode-Onamissionmile.

Out of the Victory Moon mare Victory Dance, Astrix was a R60 000 buy from the 2018 Cape Yearling Sale.

His red hot sire Vercingetorix enjoyed a sensational time at the recently concluded National Yearling Sale, with the son of Silvano having 41 yearlings selling for R25.55 million and averaging R623 293.

South Africa’s Champion Sire elect for 2021-2022, Vercingetorix has now been responsible for 19 stakes winners. The champion son of Silvano made it a graded stakes double on Saturday with Vercingetorix’s champion son Nebraas lifting Saturday’s G3 The Citizen Gold Bowl, also run at Turffontein.