Maine Chance Farms’ star stallion Vercingetorix had a superb weekend this week, with the champion son of Silvano not only responsible for a trio of feature race winners but also proving dominant in the sales ring.
Vercingetorix was the Leading Sire by Aggregate at the 2023 KZN Yearling Sale on Thursday, with Vercingetorix’s eight lots on sale grossing a total of R3.457 million and averaging R434 375 at the KZN Sale of 2023. Vercingetorix was responsible for the top lot sold on Thursday with his Boland Stud consigned own-brother (Lot 62) to G2 Umkhomazi Stakes winner and equine millionaire African Warrior knocked down to Brett Crawford for R750 000.
His great form continued on Friday when Vercingetorix filly Phedra captured the Listed East Cape Breeders Stakes at Fairview. The four-year-old made it back-to-back Listed wins when storming home, under Louis Mxowtha, to claim the 2023 East Cape Breeders Stakes by five and a half lengths.
Trained by Sharon Kotzen, the Maine Chance Farms-bred Phedra has now won eight of 25 starts.
Vercingetorix struck yet again at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday when the sire sensation provided a pair of graded stakes winners on Hollywoodbets Durban July day.
His star two-year-old daughter Mrs Geriatrix made it five wins from five starts, and three graded wins in a row when she romped home to an easy win in Saturday’s G2 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper and looks a certainty for Equus Award honours later in the year. Under Richard Fourie, the Sean Tarry-trained filly pulled well clear of her chasing rivals and drew away to win convincingly by nearly three and three-quarter lengths.
Bred by Clifton Stud, Mrs Geriatrix had followed up a debut win by landing the Listed Ruffian Stakes, G2 WSB SA Fillies Nursery and G1 Allan Robertson Championship in succession.
Vercingetorix’s second graded success on Saturday came when his three-year-old son Gladatorian stormed home to cause a 50-1 upset when victorious in the G2 Post Merchants. Under a well-timed ride from Sean Veale, the gelded son of Vercingetorix flew up late to win the 2023 G2 Post Merchants by a neck. The Post Merchants was a total triumph for Vercingetorix, with another son of the sire, Surjay, finishing a close-up third.
It was a second consecutive Post Merchants win for Vercingetorix, whose son Val D’Orcia won the race back in 2022.
Trained by Stuart Ferrie, the Erasmus Thoroughbreds CC-bred Gladatorian had won the Listed In Full Flight Stakes two starts back before finishing unplaced in the G1 Golden Horse Sprint last time out.
Out of the Dynasty mare Harvard Crimson, Gladatorian has now won four of just ten starts.