Maine Chance Farms multiple Gr1 winning stallion Vercingetorix continued with his exceptional first season when he produced a third stakes winner at Fairview on Friday.
After the withdrawal of yet another Vercingetorix flagbearer in the unbeaten East Cape Nursery winner Viking Moon, the R150 000 Listed Dahlia Plate took on a more open appearance, with the scratching’s stablemate Foreign Source starting an 18-10 favourite.
A rampant Muxi Yeni maintains his lead at the head of the SA jockey log as Hooves Of Troy bounds home ahead of Greg Cheyne and Foreign Source (Pic – Pauline Herman Photography)
But there was plenty of support for the Nursery runner-up Hooves Of Troy and the son of Vercingetorix showed that he is maturing into a really nice sort.
Much more relaxed than the run-at-full-tilt antics of his first three starts, log-leading jockey Muzi Yeni had Hooves Of Troy relaxed early off the gallop set by his free-striding stablemate Sir Caleb.
An athletic sort, Hooves Of Troy picked it up gradually and ran on with a sustained finishing burst to easily hold Foreign Source to three quarters of a length in a time of 68,37 secs.
The winner’s stablemate Gold Dragon confirmed his smart course-and-distance debut win, a head away in third.
The only member of the fairer sex in the race, the East Cape Fillies Nursery winner Captain Anne Bonny was not disgraced in fourth.
Bred by Hartley SA, the winner went through the ring for just R60 000 at the NYZ Yearling.
Trainer Gavin Smith recalled how he loved the look of the youngster – ‘a dead ringer for Bold Silvano!’
The breeders Hartley SA (nominee Peter Gibson) race the 2yo with Frank Burggraaf.
He has won 2 of his 4 starts with 2 places and stakes of R185 200.
Vercingetorix in action
His sire Vercingetorix, a son of Maine Chance’s own champion sire Silvano, has made a great start to his career. South Africa’s Equus Champion 3yo Colt of 2012/13, Vercingetorix has already been responsible for nine first crop winners, including Gold Medallion candidate and Gr3 Godolphin Barb Stakes winner African Warrior and Viking Moon, mentioned in our intro.
The winner is out of the seven-time winning Mogok mare, Secret Magok.
Trainer Gavin Smith saddled three winners on the day, including a good double for Muzi Yeni – who stretched his lead to a margin of three over Lyle Hewitson at the top of the SA jockey log.
Alan Greeff and Greg Cheyne enjoyed a nice hat-trick on the afternoon.
