Few, if any, Cape sires have made more of an impact with their first yearlings in 2018 than has Maine Chance Farms’ resident stallion Vercingetorix.
South Africa’s Equus Champion 3YO Colt of 2013, the handsome bay was responsible for the top lot, by a First Crop Sire, sold at this year’s Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale, when his colt out of Five Star Girl was knocked down to World Wide Bloodstock, on behalf of Hong Kong trainer Tony Millard, for R2 200 000.
Other notable prices achieved by Vercingetorix earlier this year included a colt who made R650 000 on the second session of this year’s National Sale, while another first crop colt by the champion, out of Sugar Almond, was knocked down to trainer Duncan Howells for R625 000 at January’s Cape Premier Yearling Sale.
The demand for Vercingetorix’s yearlings, however, comes as no surprise. Himself the top lot by Silvano sold at the 2011 National Sale, and the unbeaten Equus Champion in South Africa, where he won both the G1 Daily News 2000 and G2 KZN Guineas, Vercingetorix proved himself a world-class competitor overseas where his wins both the G1 Jebel Hatta and G2 Rashidiya.
The bay was also second in the G1 Dubai Duty Free, behind the world’s top rated equine athlete of 2014 Just A Way, and third in the 2014 G1 Audemars Piguet QE II Cup in Hong Kong.
Vercingetorix is one of 20 G1 winners sired by Maine Chance’s multiple champion sire Silvano, with the latter’s July winning champion Bold Silvano having made his mark as a sire in 2017-2018 with the likes of G1 Tsogo Sun Sprint hero, and potential Equus Award winner, Bold Respect and high class 2yo Bold Eagle.
Bred on the same Silvano/National Assembly cross as exported G1 Allan Robertson Championship winner Happy Valentine, Vercingetorix is one of nine produces by the smart National Assembly mare National Vixen –a five time winner who was placed in no fewer six stakes races. National Vixen is also dam of G3 Kenilworth Fillies Nursery/G3 Umzimkhulu Stakes winner Trinity House, high class 2yo and G2 Umkhomazi Stakes third Never Forever, and the pricey fillies I Lived and Perfectproportions. The former cost R3 000 000 when purchased from the 2015 Cape Premier Yearling Sale, while the multiple winner Perfectproportions (an own sister to Vercingetorix) was a R2.2 million buy from the following year’s Emperors Palace Select Yearling Sale.
The Vercingetorix Syndicate has also introduced an exciting competition for breeders of Vercingetorix weanlings born in 2017. Breeders wishing to enter this competition are asked to email photos, plus identification and description, of their respective weanling to Tim Bootsma (tim@mainechance.co.za) who will then post them on the Maine Chance Farms facebook page.
The breeder of the weanling which receives the most likes will then receive a free service to Vercingetorix for 2018. The competition closes on August 31st.
The champion will be strongly represented at the 2018 National Two Year Old Sale, where Vercingetorix will have no fewer than 14 members of his first crop on offer. His draft includes lots from many of the country’s top stud farms, with his potential standout two-year-olds including:
Lot 35 –a half-sister to 2 winners including G3 performer Alexander
Lot 104 –a filly out of G1 Allan Robertson Fillies Championship second Up Front
Lot 202 –a colt from the same family as international standouts Pilsudski, Naquoos and Gaily
Lot 225 –a half-sister to 2 winners including the stakes placed Fah Fee
Lot 234 –a filly from the same E family as Silvano sired July third Elusive Silva
Lot 267 –a colt out of a Fort Wood own sister to G2 performer Pylon
Lot 274 –a half-brother to Nursery second Amber Palace from the family of Preakness winner Exaggerator
Lot 286 –a filly from the same family as Silvano’s star fillies Happy Spirit and Happy Valentine
Lot 292 –a filly who is a ¾ sister to Equus Champion and millionaire Hot Ticket
Lot 295 –a half-sister to 3 winners notably high class stakes winner Ashton Park
Lot 378 –a filly out of a G3 placed half-sister to Merchants winner Silicone Valley
Lot 389 –a filly whose Encosta De Lago sired dam is a ½ sister to 2 international G3 winners
Lot 396- a ½ sister to 4 winners including exported Jubilee Hcp winner Eton Square
Lot 397 –a filly, closely related to the Vercingetorix colt who made R2 200 000, out of a sister in blood to the G1 winners Al Nitak and The Sheik
South Africa’s last two Champion First Crop Sires have both been locally bred stallions. Can Vercingetorix be the next?
