South African star Soft Falling Rain saw his unbeaten record go up in smoke at Newbury on his first outing in Britain when only second to the impressive Gregorian in the Group 2 Betfred Hungerford Stakes, but trainer Mike de Kock is not despondent and expects much better next time out.

The four-year-old arrived at Newbury unbeaten in his previous seven outings, four in his native South Africa including the Grade One SA Nursery at Turfontein, before landing all three starts at Meydan last winter, including the Group 3 UAE 2000 Guineas and the Group 2 Godolphin Mile on World Cup night in Dubai. (see video)

Despite a four-and-a-half month absence from the track the son of National Assembly was a popular choice in the live betting and was sent off the 9/4 favourite for the Hungerford Stakes. However, those watching at Newbury and those following the online racing commentaries knew a furlong from home that the unbeaten record would end as John Gosden’s tough Gregorian swept by up the stands rail to record a comfortable length-and-a-half victory over the Mike de Kock-trained market leader.

De Kock was anything but downhearted at seeing his charge suffer his first ever defeat, pointing out that Soft Falling Rain had given 2lb to a race fit rival and that, in common with most of his horses, he is sure to come on for his first run since coming back from a break.

A winner at distances between six furlongs and a mile, the South African star has been handed a range of possible future targets, including the Group 1 Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock in September, as well as the one mile Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot, and the 10 furlong Qipco Champion Stakes in October.

“I thought it was a quality field and there was enough form in Group 1’s to say it was a really good field. Like most of our horses with the way we prepare them he will come on with racing.”