The end of the current racing season is fast approaching and with only two weeks remaining, reigning champion Gimmethegreenlight looks to have clinched a third General Sires title with progeny earnings in excess of R28 million.
Vercingetorix (Anthony Delpech) in his racing days – will this be his year? (Pic – Supplied)
The Varsfontein powerhouse currently enjoys a comfortable R2 million lead over his nearest pursuer Vercingetorix.
However, given that there will be over R7 million on offer at the rich Gold Cup meeting, the duel may well go down to the wire.
The pair are in a race of their own, considering that Querari lags almost R11 million behind in third place!
On Durban July day, Gimmethegreenlight uncharacteristically drew a blank, whereas his adversary struck a purple patch, siring not just the first two home in the iconic Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July, but also the winner of the ‘Consolation July’, the Gr3 Splashout 2200.
More Than Ready’s outstanding son Gimmethegreenlight – can make it three championship titles (Pic – Jeremy Nelson)
Stranger things have happened, and should Vercingetorix once again enjoy a red-letter day at the lucrative Gold Cup meeting, we could be in for a cliff-hanger finish. It would be poetic justice for Vercingetorix, as he was denied the coveted title two seasons ago by none other than his own sire Silvano.
Although the final fields will only be announced later today, nominations show that both stallions are likely to be well-represented in the Graded races on offer.
In what could be a vintage renewal of the Gr1 HKJC Champions Cup, all eyes will be on Vercingetorix four-year-old Cousin Casey. The champion juvenile colt of his generation, he has run up a sequence of three seconds in his most recent starts, notably when beaten just a neck in the Durban July. He is overdue another Gr1 success and from the number one draw, could have it all in his favour.
With star three-year-old Green With Envy an unlikely contender, this will leave Barbaresco as Gimmethegreenlight’s sole contender in the R1.5 million race.
Lucky Lad could strike for Gimmethegreenlight in the Gr1 Mercury Sprint. The colt will seek redemption following his shock last place effort twelve months ago. Turned out the problem was wind-related and following surgery, the colt has bounced with a vengeance this season, winning the Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint from an impossible position and last time out he showed his class with a gutsy victory up the Turffontein straight under a hefty 62 kg.
Gimmethegreenlight could also have ample representation in the juvenile events. Two daughters have been entered for the Gr1 Douglas Whyte Thekwini Stakes, VJ’s Angel and Just Reckless who ran third and fourth respectively behind Quid Pro Quo in the Gr2 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper.
The latter has been cross-entered for the Gr2 World Pool With Gold Circle Debutante, where a likely opponent could be Vercingetorix’s daughter, the Gr2 SA Fillies Nursery winner Little Ballerina.
Vercingetorix – Silvano’s good son could still be a factor (Pic – Jeremy Nelson)
In the Gr1 World Pool Moment Of The Day Premiers Champion Stakes, Gimmethegreenlight’s juvenile son Proceed will no doubt aim to avenge a two-length defeat by winner Cosmic Speed in the Gr2 Durban Golden Horseshoe.
Incidentally, he is also one of no less than five Gimmethegreenlight juveniles entered for the Gr2 Worldpool Twitter Umkhomazi Stakes, as is Definitely Yes, a debutante winner sired by Vercingetorix.
While Vercingetorix has no progeny nominated in either Gr1 juvenile races, he looks set to mount a powerful attack in the Gr3 Gold Cup, headed by champion stayer Nebraas.
Winner of the marathon race three years ago, he subsequently claimed the Gr3 Gold Bowl, two renewals of the Gr3 Caradoc Gold Cup and also ran third in last year’s Gold Cup.
He may be rising eight, yet Sean Tarry’s veteran showed he’s comely to hand at the right time with a fine third in the Gr3 DStv Gold Vase on July day.
That was under the steadier of 60 kg, and this time round, he drops down to 55,5 kg, four kilos less than stable companion, last year’s winner Future Pearl.
Paternal half-brother Cape Eagle enters uncharted waters in what will be his first attempt over the marathon distance. He was, however, a fluent winner of the Gr3 SplashOut 2200 and had previously won the Highland Night Cup over 2400m at the tricky Hollywooodbets Scottsville track.
The same could apply to Vercingetorix four-year-old Ponte Pietra. Fourth in both the Gr2 World Sports Betting 1900 and Gr3 Cup Trial, the gelding is out of a Galileo full sister to English Derby runner-up At First Sight from a stout family, which may suggest he could find the Gold Cup distance within his scope. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Justin Snaith’s Double Grand Slam was not disgraced when third in an eventful Gr1 Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes where she was accidentally struck on the head. This daughter of Vercingetorix will be on a retrieval mission, should she take her place in the Gr2 Riding High Together Gold Bracelet.
Granted, the general consensus is that Gimmethegreenlight already has the championship in the bag, yet an intriguing battle for supremacy looks set to continue to the very last major meeting of the racing season.
