Soft Falling Rain – impressive winner of both starts
The best of the action this weekend takes place at Turffontein where the first of the season’s listed events for juveniles takes place. The colts contest the Storm Bird Stakes where surprisingly, only twelve were originally entered, writes Steve Furnish.
So who has been scaring potential runners away?
Soft Falling Rain
No official merit ratings for juveniles are available until the end of the season, but clearly top rated in our book is the National Assembly colt Soft Falling Rain, and he is more than likely the reason why just nine will go to post. A winner of both starts, Mike De Kock’s charge quickened very nicely late when beating the 5/10 favourite Cellarmaster over today’s course and distance on debut, and the rest were some eleven lengths adrift. He was not surprisingly backed as if unbeatable (6/10 into 3/10) when taking on winners in his only subsequent start, also over today’s trip, and with some in hand he cruised in by four and a quarter. Tshwaro Appie knows Soft Falling Rain well having ridden him to victory in both starts, and with further improvement sure to be forthcoming he will be difficult to beat.
Due And Payable
The highest rated of Clinton Binda’s two runners in our book is Due And Payable. Running on stoutly from towards the rear over today’s course and distance on debut, this son of Dupont impressed when getting up late to beat Denzarox, and interestingly, that one did then go on to beat Cellarmaster. On a line through Denzarox, Due And Payable looked to be in with a shout when meeting Soft Falling Rain last time out, but after racing with today’s likely favourite for the first half of the race, he was beaten fair and square.
Leap In The Del
As 2yo’s are often given a gentle introduction to racing, stable companion Leap In The Del can be excused his effort when fourteen lengths behind Denzarox on debut, and he did then cruise in by five when pitched in against weaker at Flamingo Park next time out. As with Due And Payable, Leap In The Del was positioned with every chance when push came to shove in that juvenile plate won by Soft Falling Rain though. On sheer form Clinton’s two runners look held, but they are both 2kg better off at the weights with Soft Falling Rain here and 2yo’s are capable of considerable improvement at this stage of the season.
War Horse
Other than Soft Falling Rain, the only unbeaten runner in the field is the Corne Spies trained War Horse. A son of Victory Moon, War Horse couldn’t have been more impressive when running on from off the pace to beat Ryder Cup by five in his only start. All but one of the runners were newcomers in that event though and with the runner up having been beaten by more than eight lengths in his next outing, there has to be doubts as to the strength of the opposition that day. Even so, he could do no more than win as he did and he could yet prove to be anything. A dark horse.
Brother In Arms
Having saddled Waywest Goddess to win the Ruffian Stakes, the other listed feature event for juveniles on today’s card two years ago, trainer Louis Goosen knows exactly what it takes to win a race like this. It is interesting then that he has chosen this race for Brother In Arms to make his debut. Watch the betting.
Ryder Cup
A couple of seasons ago one would never have dreamed that trainer Leon Erasmus would have four runners in one of Turffontein’s juvenile feature events, but the stable has been going from strength to strength in recent months and he fully deserved his first graded success when Go Indigo landed the Gr2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas last weekend. The most experienced of his four runners is Ryder Cup. He has been comprehensively beaten in both outings though, and on those efforts cannot be seriously fancied here.
Zaganos
His other raced runner is Zaganos and having been backed into 5/2 from 12/1 when fourth in his only previous outing, he has clearly been showing up well at home. Sadly for his followers though, this son of Carpocrates took a bump at the start and as a result his rider lost his irons. Enormous improvement looks sure to be forthcoming from Zaganos then and Louis Nhlapo, who regularly rides winners for the stable, stays with him.
Leon’s Newcomers
With stable jockey Sherman Brown not riding in the rac, presumably because of his weight, it is not easy to determine the stable elect. Top jockeys Robbie Fradd and Randal Simons have been booked to ride the newcomers Men And Mountains and Jid Dah respectively though and Leon did say when we chatted earlier in the week that both have shown ability and should give a good account of themselves if not green.
About The Pace
With most preferring to race handy or up with the speed, the pace looks sure to be on. Soft Falling Rain has impressed in both outings and on form looks home and hosed. 2yo’s can improve out of all proportion at this stage of the season though and adding spice here are a couple of very interesting newcomers.
