Five Up High, a half-brother to Wilgerbosdrift’s exciting new sire Soft Falling Rain (National Assembly), scored a gutsy victory over 1400m at Sha Tin on Sunday. Trained by former champion South African trainer Tony Millard, Five Up High (who raced in South Africa as My Nephew Eric) dug down deep to best runner up Money Boy by a head.
It was a third Hong Kong victory for Five Up High, who had won his sole outing in South Africa prior to being exported.
The son of Sail From Seattle (who cost R1 000 000 at the 2012 Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale) is out of the winning Giant’s Causeway mare Gardener’s Delight, who has a 100% rate to date, with all five of her runners having won.
Gardener’s Delight’s top runner to date has been former Equus Champion Soft Falling Rain, whose local wins included the G1 SA Nursery and whose numerous international victories included the G2 Godolphin Mile and G2 Joel Stakes.
Champion Soft Falling Rain apart, Gardener’s Delight’s other notable winners include high class sprinter Splendid Garden (who has earned nearly R500 000 in stakes), who has won five times and who finished runner up in the G3 Tommy Hotspur Handicap.
This is the same family as New Zealand classic winner Clean Sweep, G1 Kentucky Oaks winner Gal In A Ruckus, and Breeders’ Cup hero Eldaafer among others.
Soft Falling Rain had some exceptional first foals born last year and was again very popular in his second season at stud.