SHEIKH Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum of Dubai has enjoyed a fine run of winners over the last few days, following his double last weekend with a further two winner on Tuesday.
Jet Legend won at Scottsville on Tuesday afternoon (see report elsewhere) and juvenile Soft Falling Rain made a cracking winning debut at Turffontein, early evening.
Soft Falling Rain, a real ‘pro’! (JC Photos)
Soft Falling Rain is the first of Mike de Kock’s two-year-olds to step out this season and Diane De Kock, who taught him the basics in her group of 2011/12 “babies” at Randjesfontein, is excited about this bay colt, something she shared in a conversation with Angus Gold of the Sheikh’s Shadwell Stud after the youngster had won yesterday.
Soft Falling Rain won by 2.25-lengths in a faster time that the time posted by Jacodore, who won the Swallow Stakes later on in the evening.
Diane tells: “Soft Falling Rain enjoyed his work with me, he’s always been a real professional. He showed me a lot in work and was among o group of four to move to the main yared about a month ago. He is forward and was the first won ready, I expected him to win yesterday.”
Highlands-bred, Soft Falling Rain is by predominantly speed sire National Assembly from a Giant’s Causeway mare called Gardener’s Delight, hence, as Diane terms it, his “feminine” name. “He’s a robust horse though, a strong customer and we have high hopes for him.”
Soft Falling Rain was a R350,000 yearling at the inaugural Cape Yearling Sale in 2011, purchased for Sheikh Hamdan by Angus Gold, and Form Bloodstock.
Mike commented: “I was impressed by the stock at this sale last year and we found a few plums, like Soft Falling Rain, a good buy after a team effort by Angus and Jehan Malherbe. Well done to Sheikh Hamdan. We’re privileged to be training his runners.”
Mike said about the Sale: “I think CTS will go from strength to strength. I hope that we see more participation from international bloodstock agents this year. A number of them came to the Sale last year, but most kicked tyres.”
The Cape Premier Yearling Sale takes place on 26 and 27 January. For more information, go to the CTS website.
