Breeders championship heroes

MAINE Chance Farms-based stallion phenomenon Vercingetorix at last has a title befitting of him i.e. champion stallion, and he smashed records left right and centre to do it in the 2024/2025 season, while Drakenstein Stud won the Breeders Championship for the second time and Varsfontein-based stallion Erik The Red won the freshman sire's championship. Khaya Stables' Real Princess will walk away with the Champion broodmare having produced two Gr 1 winners during the season.

- DAVID THISELTON

Vercingetorix smashed Gimmethegreenlight’s South African record of R30,732,600 in stakes earnings in a season, set in the previous season, with earnings of 38,562,706.

The son of six-times champion stallion Silvano also smashed the SA record for individual stakes winners in a season with 23 stakes winners of 33 races.

Vercingetorix

Vercingetorix matched the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 feats of Gimmethegreenlight in being leading sire, leading two-year-old sire and leading three-year-old sire.

Gimmethegreenlight was the first stallion to achieve that feat in recorded history, which goes back to 1953.

Vercingetorix also smashed records at the Sales and his average for 25 lots sold at the BSA National Yearling Sale was a phenomenal 1,435,000, while his average at the Cape Racing Sales March Day 1 Sale was even better, 22 lots fetching an average of R1,661,364.

Vercingetorix had three individual Gr 1 winners during the season, the Justin Snaith-trained four-year-old Varsfontein Stud-bred filly Double Grand Slam, who won the Cartier Paddock Stakes over 1800m and the Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes, the Sean Tarry-trained Klawervlei Stud-bred four-year-old filly Mia Moo, who won the SA Fillies Sprint, and the Stuart Ferrie-trained Erasmus Thoroughbred CC-bred Gladatorian, who won the HKJC Champions Cup over 1800m.

It can be said Vercingetorix enjoyed the best season by any sire in South African history.

His 2025 fee is R50,000 nomination and R300,000 for a live foal.