Vercingetorix South Africa’s Top Sire After Record Year
South Africa’s racing season came to an end this week as the official confirmation date for domestic stallion titles which were wrapped up some time ago.
Vercingetorix , who is based at Maine Chance Farms in the Western Cape, is the country’s champion sire for the first time and has done so in emphatic fashion, also taking the crown for top juvenile and 3-year-old stallion.
Already the leading first-season sire in the 2018-19 season, as well as taking the same honors with his second-season crop, Vercingetorix has secured total prize money of almost R39 million (R1=US$0.055, US$2,161,140) well clear of second-placed Gimmethegreenlight , the three-time champion who narrowly repelled him 12 months ago, on just over R27 million.
Both his purse total and the 23 stakes winners he has produced during the year are believed to be new South African records.
Progeny of Vercingetorix have been flying through the culmination of the campaign at Greyville racecourse. His Stuart Ferrie-trained son Gladatorian stormed home late in the July 27 HKJC Champions Cup (G1) to prevent recent Durban July (G1) hero The Real Prince completing a famous double.
Meanwhile, his daughter Princess of Gaul won the Debutante Stakes (G2) on the same card while his classy older filly Double Grand Slam had added to her tally in the Garden Province Stakes (G1) at Greyville earlier in the month.
Other fine performers carrying his name this season are South African Fillies Sprint (G1) queen Mia Moo and last year’s July winner Oriental Charm, who has continued to show high-end form and has been syndicated to stand at Drakenstein Stud. Another grade 1 winner by the sire, Cousin Casey, has recently been announced on the roster at at Mauritzfontein.
Andreas Jacobs, the stud’s director, said: “He holds a truly special place at Maine Chance Farms, and we look forward with excitement to the champions still to come from this outstanding stallion.”
Vercingetorix was one of the last of South Africa’s great international ambassadors before travel restrictions played havoc with the racing and bloodstock industry.
A son of Maine Chance’s totemic multiple champion sire Silvano, he was the country’s leading colt in 2012-13 after landing the 2013Greyville Two Thousand (G1) and was taken to Dubai by Mike de Kock.
He won the Jebel Hatta (G1) in 2014, was then second to Japanese star Just a Way in what is now the Dubai Turf (G1T) and third to Designs On Rome in the QEII Cup (G1) in Hong Kong.
There has consequently been huge interest in buying his progeny, with lots by Vercingetorix taking the top two spots in January’s CRS Summer Sale, dominating the leaderboard at the BSA National Yearling Sale and another of his sons equaling the South African auction record of R9 million during March’s Premier Yearling Sale.
