Breeders of champions in South Africa for over two decades, internationally acclaimed Robertson nursery Maine Chance Farms have announced that they will sponsor the 2025 R1 million Grade 1 Majorca Stakes, one of the most historic and strategically important fairer sex weight-for-age contests on the local racing calendar.
Maine Chance Farm-bred SA Horse Of The Year Princess Calla returns after her Majorca Stakes success earlier this year (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
The 1600m race is run on Cape Racing’s flagship World Sports Betting Cape Town Met day and it is notable and appropriate that the current title-holder is the superstar Maine Chance Farms-bred SA Horse Of The Year Princess Calla, who won it in the season of her reign, prior to her export to the USA.
The move to add their international brand to a leading Grade 1 race in the height of the Cape’s premier Summer Festival Of Racing season, endorses Andreas and Natalie Jacobs’ ongoing longstanding support of, and investment in, South African horseracing.
Maine Chance Farms previously sponsored the Grade 1 Paddock Stakes, and the sponsorship of the Majorca Stakes comes at a juncture when the Jacobs family’s passion for horses continues to evolve through, amongst others, the acquisition last year of the historic Litchfield Stud in the very Robertson valley where they first fell in love with Africa in 2002.
Maine Chance – home to generations of champions (Pic – Maine Chance Farms)
Famously described by the family as ‘one of the most beautiful stud farms in the world’, Maine Chance has been a bastion of excellence on the South African thoroughbred breeding landscape for the larger part of the 21st century.
From the early days of their multiple SA champion sire Silvano, who was a revelation as he earned SA Champion Sire accolades six times, the dynasty has continued with his Champion son Vercingetorix assuming the mantle in recent years.
Maine Chance kingpin Vercingetorix by Silvano ex National Vixen (Pic- Jeremy Nelson)
Maine Chance Farms recently celebrated a champagne 2024 Cape Racing Sales Breeze Up & Unbroken 2yo Sale, with their 6 lots – all by their resident champion Vercingetorix – grossing R5 150 000, at an average of R858 333, and including the R1,3 million topseller, and ultimately three of the top-selling quartet on the sale!
Maine Chance is also the home of Champion 2yo Sire Querari, Champion First Season Sire Erupt, and young sire Quasillo, who has produced a few small crops due to infertility problems.
In their ongoing quest for success at the highest level, the importation of blue-blooded fillies and broodmares from Europe has supplemented Maine Chance’s high-quality broodmare band.
Dr Andreas Jacobs – thrilled to be part of the renaissance (Pic – hamishNIVENPhotography)
“It is an honour for the Maine Chance team to hold hands with Cape Racing as South African horseracing stands together and establishes the building blocks of recapturing the glory days of years gone by. The opening up of export markets and the recent participation of our champions at the Breeders’ Cup are both testimonials to the new dawn of excitement and expectation in the ranks of all stakeholders. We are proud to play our small part in this renaissance,” added Andreas Jacobs.
Cape Racing Executive Justin Vermaak welcomed the Maine Chance Farms flag to the Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Summer Festival Of Racing arena and said that the support and involvement of prestigious sponsors was key to horseracing in South Africa regaining its foothold as a global player.
Cape Racing’s Justin Vermaak – welcomes Maine Chance Farms (Pic – Supplied)
“The Jacobs family name has been synonymous with international champions since Dr Jacobs’ grandfather founded Gestüt Fährhof in Germany in 1960 and developed it into an internationally-recognised and respected brand. Cape Racing are privileged and proud to have them on board as big season sponsors,“ concluded Vermaak.
The R1 million Maine Chance Farms Gr1 Majorca Stakes will be run at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday 25 January 2025.
- First entries are due by 11h00 on Friday 3 January, whereafter weights will be issued.
- Supplementary entries are due by 11h00 on Friday 10 January 2025.
- Declarations are due by 10h00 on Wednesday 15 January 2025.
Visit www.mainechance.co.za for more information.
