Equus Champion Vercingetorix looks set for a big season ahead.
The son of six-times South African Champion Sire Silvano has some top-class older representatives to his name and also looks to have a very promising crop of three-year-olds batting for him.
Vercingetorix in action! Joshwin Soloms drives Daimyo to victory, chased by Love Is A Rose (Ashton Arries in green cap) and Vercingetorix sons, Holding Thumbs (Siphesihle Hlengwa in hopped cap) and Call To Unite (Anthony Andrews) on the rail (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
The Maine Chance-based Vercingetorix enjoyed more success at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday, with his sons Zeitz and Sail The Seas landing races one and three, while Daimyo was victorious in the Listed Woolavington Stakes.
Sons of Vercingetorix finished 1-3-4 in the Woolavington Stakes, Daimyo relegating his paternal half-brothers Holding Thumbs and Call To Unite to third and fourth spots, respectively.
The result of the Woolavington confirms Vercingetorix’s versatility as a sire, with the champion having sired top-class horses over a range of distances, from Gr1 winning sprinters Alesian Chief and Surjay to champion stayer Nebraas.
While Vercingetorix’s older runners this season could include Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July winner Oriental Charm, multiple graded stakes winner Double Grand Slam, and the likes of Get Impressed, Celtic Rumours, and King Of The Gauls, it is his current crop of three-year-olds that have been catching the eye of late.
This crop, which includes the mentioned Zeitz and the very promising Sail The Seas, recent Gt3 Cape Classic runner up Boundless Energy, speedy gallopers Cymric and Taxi To The Moon, and promising prospects Greaterix and Garrix.
Maine Chance kingpin Vercingetorix by Silvano ex National Vixen (Pic- Jeremy Nelson)
The latter, second to another promising three-year-old son of Vercingetorix Let It Be Said on debut, made a big impression when breaking his maiden at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth recently.
Vercingetorix’s current three-year-old crop includes seven horses who have either won or been placed in stakes races and this tally looks sure to increase in the coming months.
Vercingetorix, who has five sons nominated for the Gr1 Betway Summer Cup, is currently leading the South African General Sires premiership. He is tied with reigning South African champion sire Gimmethegreenlight for number of stakes winners this season, having supplied Celtic Rumours (Gr2 Betway Joburg Spring F & M Challenge), Call To Unite (Settlers Trophy), and the aforementioned Daimyo.
Another son, 2023 Gr2 Post Merchants winner Gladatorian, impressed when running on strongly for second in the recent Gr2 Allied Steelrode -Onamission Charity Mile at Turffontein. The versatile Gladatorian has now earned over R1,2 million in stakes and he is another son of Vercingetorix who could have a good pay day this season.
To date, Vercingetorix has been responsible for 44 black type winners, and it is interesting to note the number of Vercingetorix sired stakes winners who have either Al Mufti or his sons Captain Al or Victory Moon in their pedigree. These include the graded stakes winners Vernichey, Asterix, Double Grand Slam, Ikigai, Rascallion, African Warrior, and La Moohal.
Another son of Al Mufti, champion Cataloochee, is broodmare sire of Vercingetorix’s Gr2 winning son Bereave.
Vercingetorix’ late sire Silvano could well make his influence felt further in the forthcoming Betway Summer Cup, as eight big race entries are sired by either his late Dad Silvano or himself.
