Komati River Gives Reigning Champion Sire Vercingetorix his second double in two days (JC Photos)
Maine Chance Farms’ champion sire Vercingetorix struck twice at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Wednesday and he repeated the feat a day later at the Vaal.
It was a good response to the three-times champion sire Gimmethegreenlight’s four-timer on Saturday at Hollywoodbets Durbanville.
Gimmethegreenlight had gone into Thursday’s meeting marginally ahead of Vercingetorix on stakes earnings for the season, R2,440,783 to R2,330,241, but that has likely changed now after the two wins of Vercingetorix’s progeny at that meeting.
The son of Silvano, Vercingetorix, has had 110 runners this season, who have had 141 runs between them, and he has had 24 winners of 26 races.
Gimmethegreenlight has had 122 runners,who have had 175 runs between them, and he has had 21 winners of 25 races.
Vercingetorix enjoyed a 100% strike rate on Wednesday with his only two runners both ending up in the winners box.
Vercingetorix struck first when his son King Celtillus won the Tote For The Win Maiden Plate (1800m).
The Gareth Van Zyl trained gelding kept finding in front and, under S’Manga Khumalo, won by a length and a half.
Bred by the Gary Player Stud, who own King Celtillus in partnership with Messrs P M Chetty & R Chetty, E A Budlender & P R Rencken, King Celtillus is out of the Ideal World mare Josephine Baker.
Vercingetorix’s second success on Wednesday came when his daughter Ubukhwebezana stormed home to win the Lucky Fish Diamond Riches Class 4 (F and M) (1400m) by just over three parts of a length. Trained by MJ Odendaal, and ridden by Sean Veale, the inform Ubukhwebezana has won three of her last four starts and five times overall.
Owned by Hollywood Racing, the Maine Chance Farms bred Ubukhwebezana is out of the Noordhoek Flyer mare Felicity Flyer.
On Thursday Vercingetorix had no fewer than nine runners.
The winners were the Mike and Adam Azzie-trained Majulun and the Tony Peter-trained Komati River.
Majulun is a Klawervlei Stud-bred four-year-old gelding out of the unraced but well related Galileo mare Zippy Zitter and he cost R625,000 at the BSA KZN Yearling Sale.
Majulun battled in his first five starts, having begun racing in November last year, but he finished third over 1800m sixth time out and he won today in his seventh start over 1700m under 4kg claimer Girish Samo-Burthia.
The Tony Peter-trained four-year-old filly Komati River is a homebred of Advocate Altus Joubert’s and won for the third time today in just her 12th start.
Vercingetorix has some well bred lots on offer at the upcoming Two Year Old Sale.
His draft includes a full-sister (Lot 91) to Listed Irridescence Stakes winner Ukuduma, and a full-sister (Lot 132) to G1 World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas winner Chansonette.
