Wilgerbosdrift’s late sire, and former Equus Champion, Soft Falling Rain, enjoyed notable success at Kenilworth on Sunday when his three-year-old daughter World Radar won the G3 Robin And Lilian Brand Champagne Stakes over 1200m.
Trained by Alan Greeff, the Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, World Radar picked up her first graded stakes win with a thoroughly courageous effort in the 2020 Champagne Stakes.
Under jockey Greg Cheyne, World Radar was always up with the pace, as Phil’s Dancer cut out the early running.
Phil’s Dancer continued to gallop 200m from home, but was met by a wall of challengers, with recent Olympic Duel Stakes winner Hello Winter Hello charging down the inside, and World Radar fighting on tenaciously down the centre of the track.
World Radar fought on gamely to register a half length win, and made it back to back stakes wins in the process (World Radar having won the Listed East Cape Breeders Stakes last time out).
Now a winner of five of seven starts, World Radar won the Champagne Stakes in a time of 76.78.
Her G1 SA Nursery winning sire Soft Falling Rain made a smart start with his first crop including not only World Radar but G2 Gagasi FM Debutante winner Montreal Mist and G2 Joburg Spring F&M Challenge runner up Gin Fizz.
The champion son of National Assembly also has some promising looking two-year-olds this season, with Soft Falling Rain’s current juveniles including G1 Golden Horse Medallion runner up Pray For Rain.
Soft Falling Rain has 14 lots on offer at the upcoming Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale, including a full-brother (Lot 134) to Gin Fizz, a colt (Lot 265) out of a stakes winning daughter of Silvano, and a colt (Lot 372) out of G3 Starling Stakes winner Sarasota.