Dancing Star shines to end 24-year wait

ANDREW Balding’s Dancing Star ended 24 years of hurt for fillies in the Stewards’ Cup when emulating the feat of her distant relative Lochsong in the Qatar-sponsored sprint at Goodwood.

A distaffer has not featured on the roll of honour since 1992, when the four-year-old Lochsong destroyed her rivals. Now the sky could be the limit for Dancing Star, who claimed a fourth success from only five outings in 2016.

Being the final horse to make the cut, the well-supported 9-2 favourite was always in a handy position for David Probert and held a definite lead approaching the final furlong.

Several others challenged, but in the final 50 yards the Jeff Smithowned three-year-old was creating distance and scored by a length-anda-quarter and a nose from Orion’s Bow and Raucous respectively.

Balding wants to see his stable star enjoy a short break before coming back for one more race at the end of the season. He said: “We are very blessed to have a filly as good as this. I think after her busy spell she should have a holiday at the Littleton Stud and then we can bring her back for the big sprint on Champions Day at Ascot.

“She will be even better next year and we have much to look forward to. I’m also thrilled for Jeff, who has been the most loyal supporter of the yard for many, many years.”

Smith said: “She’s a granddaughter of Lochangel, who was a half-sister to Lochsong, but this filly is a step ahead of Lochsong already as she’s won it a year earlier.”

Jockey Probert added: “We were lucky to creep in at the bottom and got a lovely draw. I had prayed she would get in. Thank God she did.”