Maine Chance Farms’ Equus Champion Vercingetorix has made a blistering start to his stud career and the son of Maine Chance’s multiple champion sire Silvano was responsible for his first graded stakes winner when his 2yo first crop son African Warrior won the G3 Independent On Saturday Affluence Godolphin Barb Stakes over 1100m at Greyville on Friday night.

Bred by the Boland Stud, the gelded African Warrior made it win number two from just three starts (he also won a barrier trial prior to embarking on his racing career) when accounting for the well related Master Of Illusion by a short head in the G3 Godolphin Barb Stakes on Friday night.

Trained by Dean Kannemeyer (whose DK Racing Syndicate owns the 2yo gelding), African Warrior was ridden to victory by Keagan De Melo.

A smart winner last time out, African Warrior was one of two runners in the Godolphin Barb for Vercingetorix (the latter also being responsible for fifth place finisher Padre Pio).

Out of the Jet Master mare Allez Afrique, African Warrior was a R100 000 buy from the 2018 KZN Yearling Sale.

He is one of eight first crop winners thus far for multiple G1 winner Vercingetorix, whose sons Viking Moon and Hooves Of Troy recently ran 1-2 in the Listed East Cape Nursery.

An unbeaten Equus Champion in South Africa, the Klawervlei Stud bred Vercingetorix’s wins included the G1 Daily News 2000 (in South Africa) and the G1 Jebel Hatta (in Dubai).