That Hollywoodbets Durban July winner Oriental Charm will join the Drakenstein stallion roster at the end of his racing career comes as welcome news, especially as he is the first Gr1 winning son of Vercingetorix to enter stud.
Vercingetorix’ son Zeitz is a serious contender in the SplashOut Cape Derby (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Notwithstanding the fact that he is approaching the twilight of his career at age 15, Vercingetorix is enjoying a stellar season, so much so that he is odds-on to garner a first General Sires title, such is his commanding lead at the top of the log.
That lead could grow this coming weekend, given that the Maine Chance standout will be represented by no less than four runners in the SplashOut Gr1 Cape Derby.
For all that the son of Silvano has achieved as a stallion, it is quite remarkable that it has taken quite some time for one of his top sons to retire to stud. Granted, most of his best males were gelded, Pomp And Power, Astrix and Surjay being prime examples, whilst the sad loss of Golden Horse Sprint winner Alesian Chief at age four not only robbed the industry of a fine athlete, but also a potential stallion.
Oriental Charm – first Gr1 winning son of Vercingetorix for stud (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
History shows that Vercingetorix’s sire Silvano trod a similar path, with the majority of his excellent sons – Kings Gambit, Aslan, Marinaresco, Bravura, Martial Eagle, Power King and Zillzaal – suffering the unkindest cut.
With champion Bold Silvano now infertile, his legacy as a sire of sires appears to be a tenuous one, for it leaves just Vercingetorix and the unproven full brothers Hawwaam and Celestial City as his sole flagbearers.
Fortunately, Vercingetorix could yet right the ship, as there are a number of accomplished entire sons in training which could, in time, join Oriental Charm in the breeding shed.
Vercingetorix’s Cape Derby contenders Zeitz and Garrix certainly qualify on pedigree. The former, a Gr3 winner of the Politician Stakes, is out of a mare by renowned sire Redoute’s Choice, while his immediate female line is that of unbeaten champion Zarkava and our own Igugu.
Politician Stakes runner-up Garrix is the second black type performer produced by the American-bred Smart Strike mare Makiwara, a half-sister to Maine Chance Farms stallion Erupt.
Mike de Kock’s talented Gr2 winner Greaterix is another with stallion potential. Out of a stakes-placed Jet Master mare, he hails from the famed Argentinian ‘E’ family which gave us Empress Club, Epoque, Ecurie, Emerald Beauty Eventuail and Escoleta Fitz (dam of champion Hermoso Mundo), to name but a few.
A proven Gr1 winner, the now five-year-old Cousin Casey looks another stud prospect. Out of an own sister to Hollywoodbets Durban July winner Big City Life, he earned his Gr1 spurs in the Premiers Champion.
Voted the country’s champion juvenile colt, his best efforts at the elite level saw him chasing home Charles Dickens in the Gr1 Cape Guineas, besides which he narrowly failed to emulate Big City Life when beaten a neck by Oriental Charm in last year’s Durban July.
Those efforts rather summed up the career of a horse who was clearly very talented and it would come as a surprise should he fail to find a place at stud.
Ikigai – 8yo son of Vercingetorix – could yet go to stud (Pic – JC Photos)
A similar case could be made for the Sean Tarry-trained Ikigai, a classic winner of the Gr2 Gauteng Guineas. From the active family of Joy And Peace and Juliet Tango, it is quite amazing that this proven sprinter/miler has yet to find a place at stud.
Tarry admits that the chestnut was the subject of an offer two seasons ago, only for the deal to fall through. Undeterred, he has kept Ikigai ticking over to the extent that he ran out a facile winner at age eight just over a week ago!
Let’s not forget that his former stable companions Eden Roc and Chimichuri Run only retired to stud at age seven. It is no coincidence that Tarry also trained Quid Pro Quo’s sire Lance and abovementioned Celestial City, so some savvy breeder may yet snag himself a tough and durable warrior in Ikigai.
Considering his popularity amongst the country’s breeders, Vercingetorix has had access to top broodmares. Consequently, he will not suffer from a lack of firepower and there are surely a number of prospective stallion prospects amongst those colts yet to race.
