Seventh first crop winner for Soft Falling Rain


Wilgerbosdrift’s short-lived Soft Falling Rain’s first 2yos have been firing on all cylinders in recent weeks, and the champion son of National Assembly was at it again this weekend.
Soft Falling Rain gelding Horatius became his sire’s seven first crop winner when he dug down deep to shed his maiden over 1400m at Kenilworth on Saturday.

Trained by Justin Snaith, 2yo Horatius (who was making just his second start on Saturday) was bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein.

The gelding, who was a R400 000 buy from the 2018 Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale, had been fifth on his first and only previous start.

The regally bred Horatius, bred on similar lines to the National Assembly sired champion National Currency, is out of Equus Champion Laverna –whose champion dam Enchantress was, like Soft Falling Rain himself, sired by National Assembly.

His globetrotting sire Soft Falling Rain is currently South Africa’s second Leading First Crop Sire by winners, with his earlier winners including G3 Pretty Polly Stakes second Gin Fizz, and the promising Alramz –who finished a close up sixth in Saturday’s G1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion.

Soft Falling Rain has two colts on offer at the 2019 KZN Yearling Sale –a colt (Lot 165) whose dam is a full-sister to recent East Cape Derby winner St Vladimir, and a half-brother (Lot 179) to recent debut winner Mai Tai.