IMAGINE one stallion siring the first three home in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and that all three were bred by the same farm? Well the 11-furlong Durban July may not be the Arc, but it is the most important and richest race staged in South Africa, and last Saturday three horses bred at Maine Chance Farm and sired by their resident stallion Silvano swept the board in this prestigious Group 1 race.

Power King beat Punta Arenas and Tellina to scoop the R2,093,750 (€153,000) first prize and in so doing landed his sixth career success. The race was a huge compliment to the farm that produced the first three finishers and to their champion sire.

Founded by Godfrey Gird and Graham Beck, Maine Chance Farm was sold more than a decade ago to Andreas Jacobs and his wife Natalie and this was just after it had secured five consecutive breeders’ championships.

The record of breeding top-class performers continues and the stud has flourished under the chairmanship of Jacobs. It is one of three exceptional farms he runs on behalf of his family – the others are Gestut Fahrhof in Germany and Newsells Park Stud in England.

Silvano was a leading performer around the world, winning the Grade 1 Arlington Million in the USA, the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes in Hong Kong, the Group 1 Singapore Cup and Group 2 races in his native Germany. Silvano is a product of Gestut Fahrhof and started his stud career there. His best winners in Europe include the 2013 German Derby winner Lucky Speed and the German 1000 Guineas winner Mi Emma.

SONS

In South Africa he has sired some 14 Group 1 winners and they include previous Durban July winners Bold Silvano and Heavy Metal.

Now standing alongside him is another of his sons, Vercingetorix, a dual Group 1 winner in Dubai and also winner at the highest level in South Africa. Silvano stands with the Irish 2000 Guineas winner Black Minnaloushe, now a leading sire in South Africa and who came agonisingly close to adding to his Group 1 tally when his two-year-old son Arabian Beat was beaten a short-head in the Group 1 Durban Golden Horseshoe, one of the supporting features on Saturday.

While on the theme of South Africa, stallion masters there are about to embark on a new breeding season and the team at Drakenstein Stud must be especially pleased with themselves. Duke Of Marmalade is due to stand his second season there and must be assured of a full book thanks to recent results.

While he compiled an admirable record in Europe with his first crops which included the Irish Oaks runner-up Venus De Milo, his star has risen mightily this year with three classic winners including Star Of Seville and Nutan, winners respectively of the French Oaks and the German Derby. His daughter Sound Of Freedom won the Italian 1000 Guineas and was runner-up in the Italian Derby. His Derby winning brother Ruler Of The World (by Galileo) has just completed his first season in Tipperary.