Soft Falling Rain impressed at Newmarket last Friday
The brilliant Soft Falling Rain bounced back to winning ways under Paul Hanagan when landing the Gr 2 Nayef Joel Stakes in phenomenal style for Mike de Kock at Newmarket on Friday, 27th September.
It was a big afternoon for the De Kock team, as it heralded the step up of two serious Dubai candidates, in Soft Falling Rain and Igugu. The four-year-old Soft Falling Rain, a South African-bred son of National Assembly, travelled well throughout the mile contest and showed a devastating turn of foot to leave his rivals behind inside the closing stages.
The Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned colt, who relinquished his unbeaten record when beaten by Gregorian in the Hungerford Stakes at Newbury last time out, won comfortably by three and a half lengths from Montiridge as the 13-8 favourite. “The pace was too fast. That was a fantastic performance in a brutally run race,” commented the race caller at the pull-up.
Mike de Kock said: “We didn’t think there would be a problem with the mile and he’s won that like he’d go further but I think he is best at a mile. We will have a go at the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes over the straight mile. That’s why we came here.” Montiridge, who was ridden by Richard Hughes, travelled superbly throughout the race and looked to pose a challenge when entering the final two furlongs.
However, the Richard Hannon-trained three-year-old had no answer to Soft Falling Rain’s turn of foot and had to settle for a distant second. Mike congratulated Sheikh Hamdan and thanked him for his support. Soft Falling Rain was purchased at the inaugural Cape Premier Yearling Sale.
A half hour earlier, the brilliant Igugu finished a close second under Pat Cosgrave in her comeback run , going down in the closing stages of the Listed Shadwell International Stallions Rosemary Stakes over 1600m to Richard Hannon’s Zurigha, ridden by Ryan Moore. Igugu had not run since April and, after travelling smoothly, had made a bid for home two furlongs out, kicking two lengths clear. But Moore urged Zurigha to reel in the leader and go on to win by three quarters of a length
Zurigha is owned by Saeed Al Tayer, chairman of Meydan racecourse, and Hannon suggested the Dubai World Cup Carnival was a logical target. Igugu is also slated to run in Dubai again next season, and is also due to run one more time in Europe before shipping out to the UAE.
Whether that is at Ascot in the Qipco British Champions Series Fillies & Mares at Ascot next month remains to be seen. “She’s run a genuine race against lesser quality but you can only bring them back by giving them confidence,” Mike de Kock said. “She’s in the mile and a half at Ascot. We will see the acceptors on Tuesday to assess the strength of the field.”
