Drakenstein Stud’s reigning champion sire Trippi enjoyed a major triumph at Turffontein this past Saturday when his son Deo Juvente downed Horse Of The Year, and last year’s winner, Legal Eagle, to lift the G1 Premier’s Champions Challenge on Champions Day.

In lifting the R4 000 000 Champions Challenge, the Northfields Stud bred gelding not only accounted for six time G1 winner and champion Legal Eagle, but also recent G1 Empress Club Stakes winner Nother Russia, champion French Navy, and dual G1 Sansui Summer Cup winner and his own stablemate Master Sabina.

The Geoff Woodruff trained Deo Juvente has now won or placed in 17 of 21 outings (his previous wins including the G2 Victory Moon Stakes), with Saturday’s big payday pushing his earnings to R3 557 050.

The five-year-old was a R500 000 purchase from the 2013 Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale.

Deo Juvente is a sixth G1 winner for champion sire Trippi, whose previous top flight winners include US G1 winner and Breeders’ Cup runner up R Heat Lightning, five time G1 winner Inara and the G1 winning 2yos Afrikaburn and For The Lads.

Trippi has been enjoying yet another superb season in 2016-2017. The son of End Sweep has been represented by five stakes winners this season, including the above mentioned Deo Juvente and fellow graded winners Gold Standard, Live Life and top sprinter Trip To Heaven.