Joel Stakes scorer Soft Falling Rain sires his first winner

The 2013 Joel Stakes scorer Soft Falling Rain sired his first winner in South Africa on Sunday when his fancied filly Gin Fizz made all to win the five-furlong juvenile maiden at Turffontein in a common canter.

She powered away under jockey Gavin Lerena to win by 7.4 lengths for trainer Mike de Kock while Makara, another filly by the sire, finished third.

Gin Fizz is part-bred and owned by Wilgerbosdrift, where Soft Falling Rain stood the entirety of his stallion career, before his early demise following a severe bout of colic last September.

De Kock also trained Soft Falling Rain, whose unbeaten juvenile campaign saw him crowned champion two-year-old colt in South Africa for the 2012-13 season, and the filly's dam Gardener's Delight, a Giant's Causeway mare who also produced Grade 2 Heineken Cape Stayers scorer Let It Rain, Hong Kong winner Five Up High and smart sprinter Splendid Garden.

Soft Falling Rain, one of 16 Group 1 winners for his sire National Assembly, also claimed the Group 3 UAE 2,000 Guineas and Group 2 Godolphin Mile in Meydan at three and the Joel Stakes at Newmarket by a resolute three and a half lengths at four.

The popular sire, who was fully booked in his first three seasons, shared his family with leading US sire Smart Strike, sire of current stallion sensations Curlin, English Channel and Lookin At Lucky.

Tribute to Soft Falling Rain:

South African sensation Soft Falling Rain dies aged nine