Wilgerbosdrift’s much missed stallion Soft Falling Rain had yet another smart looking first crop winner on Thursday when his grey son Stormy Winter made a winning debut at the Vaal.
Backed down to start a 21-10 tote favourite, the David Nieuwenhuizen trained three-year-old dug down deep to score a half length win over another well bred first-timer in the form of Cairon.
Under red-hot rider Warren Kennedy, Stormy Winter was always up with the pace but had to fight of the challenge from Cairon before pulling out a bit more to claim victory in the 1450m maiden plate.
Bred by the Ascot Stud, the gelding is out of the Fort Wood mare Stormy Coast and he was a R180 000 buy from the 2018 National 2YO Sale.
Stormy Winter is one of 18 South African winners to have emerged from short-lived Equus Champion and G1 SA Nursery hero Soft Falling Rain’s first crop.
The former globetrotting star’s impressive first crop has already produced the likes of G2 Gagasi FM Debutante winner Montreal Mist, unbeaten rising star World Radar, G3 Pretty Polly Stakes second Gin Fizz and Gatecrasher Stakes second Alramz.