Dancing Rain

Irish Thoroughbred racehorse

Dancing Rain

Dancing Rain after her win in the 2011 Epsom Oaks with jockey Johnny Murtagh.

Sire| Danehill Dancer
Grandsire| Danehill
Dam| Rain Flower
Damsire| Indian Ridge
Sex| Mare
Foaled| 24 April 2008
Country| Ireland
Colour| Chestnut
Breeder| Swettenham Stud
Owner| 1) Martin J. and Lee A. Taylor
2) Sheikh Mohammed
Trainer| William Haggas
Record| 10: 4-2-1
Earnings| £ 572,503[1]
Major wins
Epsom Oaks (2011)
British Champions Fillies' and Mares' Stakes (2011)
Preis der Diana (2011)

Dancing Rain (foaled on 24 April 2008) is a retired Thoroughbred mare that was bred in Ireland and raced in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany and Japan. Dancing Rain was the unanticipated winner of the 2011 Epsom Oaks and won the Preis der Diana in the later part of her three-year-old season. Her form faltered late in her three-year-old year, finishing 16th out of a field of 19 horses in the Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup in Japan. Her four-year-old season was plagued with injury and she did not run in a race until late October 2012. Retired at the end of 2012, Dancing Rain became a broodmare at Clairemont Stud in Hampshire and was subsequently sold to Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for £4.2m while in foal to Frankel.

## Background

[edit]

Dancing Rain was bred by Swettenham Stud, a breeding operation owned by the Sangster family,[2] and was foaled on 24 April 2008[1] at Camas Park Stud in Tipperary. Dancing Rain's sire, Danehill Dancer, stands at Coolmore Stud and also produced Choisir, a renowned sprinter.[2] Her dam, Rain Flower, did not race[2] and is a three-quarters sister to Epsom Derby winner Dr Devious.[3] Rain Flower has produced nine foals to date, and five of her offspring have gone on to win races.[4]

Dancing Rain was consigned as a yearling by Camas Park Stud to the 2009 Goff's Orby Million and Sportsman's Yearling Sale in Ireland as lot ("Hip") number 4, where she was purchased by Liam Norris and William Huntingdon for €200,000 ($292,120).[5] Norris and Huntingdon purchased Dancing Rain on behalf of brothers Martin and Lee Taylor.[2]

## Racing career

[edit]

Dancing Rain was trained by William Haggas, who also trained the 1996 Epsom Derby winner Shaamit,[6] at his Somerville Lodge Stables in Newmarket.[7] Dancing Rain won four of her ten career starts and was second twice.

### 2010: two-year-old start

[edit]

Dancing Rain was not a promising racehorse during her early training and was initially labeled as "hopeless" by her trainer.[7] She improved late in the season and her first and only start as a two-year-old occurred on 19 October at Yarmouth for the Division 1 European Breeders' Fund Maiden Fillies Stakes. She was ridden by Michael Hills and was beaten by 3.5 lengths by the filly Annedah, who was owned by Ali Saeed.[8]

### 2011: three-year-old season

[edit]

Dancing Rain won her first start as a three-year-old in the Robert Sangster Memorial Maiden Fillies Stakes on 15 April at Newbury Racecourse. She was jockeyed by Kieren Fallon who gave her "an uncompromising ride" and pushed the filly to the front[9] to win the race by one and a quarter lengths from Highest.[10] She was second in her next start at Newbury for the Fillies' Trial Stakes on 13 May, losing by a head to Izzi Top who was ridden by Dane O'Neill.[11]

One month before Dancing Rain's start in the Oaks, the filly broke the leg of her exercise rider and her trainer's wife, Maureen Haggas (a daughter of Lester Piggott) while performing drills.[6] Dancing Rain was not favored to win the Oaks, starting the race with 20-1 odds. She was ridden by three-time Derby winning jockey Johnny Murtagh. She won by three quarters of a length over Wonder of Wonders and eleven other horses.[12]

Dancing Rain finished fifth in the Irish Oaks on 17 July, leading the race three furlongs from the finish line and weakening under "a relentless drive" from the winning filly Blue Bunting and passed by Banimpire, Wonder of Wonders and Laughing Lashes.[13] Dancing Rain became the first British-trained winner of the €400,000 Preis der Diana on 7 August in Düsseldorf, and ridden by Kieren Fallon, "she shot away from her rivals in the straight" to win by a margin of three lengths.[14] She won again at Ascot in the British Champions Fillies' and Mares' Stakes beating Bible Belt by two lengths.[15]

In her final start of the season, Dancing Rain ran in the Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup in Kyoto Racecourse. A few days before the race, Dancing Rain developed "some heat in her front legs" that was treated with ice baths.[16] Dancing Rain was "never a factor" in the race, finishing in 16th place, far behind Snow Fairy who won the race for a consecutive year.[17]

### 2012: four-year-old season

[edit]

Dancing Rain sustained an ankle injury in the spring of 2012 and her engagement in the Coronation Cup was suspended. Surgery was performed in the spring of 2012.[18] Dancing Rain was engaged for the Yorkshire Oaks,[19] but a week before the race Haggas withdrew her from competition, stating, "I'm afraid she won't be going to York as we're just not happy with her."[20] In her first start of the season, she was third in the British Champions Fillies' and Mares' Stakes run at Ascot, losing by two and three quarters lengths to Sapphire and Shirocco Star.[21] On 9 December ridden by Johnny Murtagh, Dancing Rain finished eighth out of 12 starters in the Hong Kong Vase won by Red Cadeaux.[22]

## Breeding career

[edit]

Dancing Rain was retired from racing at the end of 2012 to her owner's Clairemont Stud in Hampshire. She was confirmed to be in foal to Frankel[23] and in December 2013, while still in foal to Frankel, she was auctioned for 4 million guineas (£4.2m) at Tattersalls sales to John Ferguson, acting on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed. The selling price was the second-highest price ever paid at auction for a broodmare in Europe at the time.[24] Dancing Rain gave birth to her first foal, a bay filly by Frankel, in February 2014.[25] Bred to New Approach, she produced another filly in February 2015.[26]

* 2014 Rainswept (GB) : Bay mare, foaled 5 February, by Frankel (GB) - entered training with Andre Fabre at Chantilly; unraced.
* 2015 Magic Lily (GB): Chestnut mare, foaled 11 February, by New Approach (IRE)- Won Cape Verdi, third in the Group 1 bet365 Fillies' Mile.
* 2016 Jalmoud (GB): Chestnut colt (gelded) by New Approach (IRE), foaled 24 February- Won Listed Prix de l'Avre.[27]
* 2017 Sakura Petal (GB): Chestnut filly, foaled by Dubawi (IRE)

## Pedigree

[edit]

Pedigree of Dancing Rain (IRE), Chestnut mare, 2008[28] Sire
Danehill Dancer (IRE)
Bay 1993  | Danehill
1986  | Danzig | Northern Dancer

|
|
|

Pas de Nom
Razyana  | His Majesty
Spring Adieu
Mira Adonde
1986  | Sharpen Up  | Atan
Rocchetta
Lettre D'Amour  | Caro
Lianga
Dam
Rain Flower (IRE)
Chestnut 1997  | Indian Ridge
1985  | Ahonoora | Lorenzaccio
Helen Nichols
Hillbrow  | Swing Easy
Golden City
Rose of Jerico
1984  | Alleged | Hoist the Flag
Princess Pout
Rose Red  | Northern Dancer
Cambrienne

* Dancing Rain is distantly inbred 4 × 4 to Northern Dancer, meaning this horse appears twice in the fourth generation of her pedigree. Dancing Rain is also distantly inbred 5 × 5 to Ribot, that horse being the sire of both His Majesty and Hoist The Flag.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Dancing Rain (IRE)". Racing Post. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
2. ^ a b c d "Dancing Rain claims Oaks". The Australian. 6 June 2011. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
3. ^ "Dancing Rain and Maybe keep the family flag flying". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
4. ^ "Consigned by Camas Park Stud" (PDF). Goffs. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
5. ^ Staff. "Goff's Orby Million and Sportsman's Yearling Sale 2009". Bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
6. ^ a b McGrath, Chris (4 June 2011). "Murtagh leads rivals merry dance on Rain for Oaks triumph". The Independent. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
7. ^ a b McGrath, Chris (2 June 2011). "Dancing Rain has Haggas singing". The Independent. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
8. ^ Staff. "European Breeders' Fund Maiden Fillies' Stakes (Div I)". Racing Post. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
9. ^ Staff (15 April 2011). "Newbury duo flaunt their wares". Orange Sport. Retrieved 16 January 2012.[permanent dead link]
10. ^ "Robert Sangster Memorial Maiden Fillies' Stakes (Div II)". Racing Post. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
11. ^ "Swettenham Stud Fillies' Trial Stakes (Listed Race)". Racing Post. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
12. ^ "Investec Oaks (Group 1) (Fillies)". Racing Post. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
13. ^ Schweitzer, Mary (17 July 2011). "Blue Bunting Lands Irish Oaks Thriller". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
14. ^ Godfrey, Nicholas and David Conolly-SMITH (7 August 2011). "Dancing Rain and Fallon land German Oaks rivals". Racing Post. Retrieved 16 January 2012.[dead link]
15. ^ "Qipco British Champions Fillies' And Mares' Stakes (Group 2)". Racing Post. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
16. ^ Lees, Jon (10 November 2011). "Dancing Rain on course for Cup despite scare". Racing Post. Retrieved 16 January 2012.[dead link]
17. ^ Godfrey, Nicholas (13 November 2011). "Super Snow Fairy strikes again in QEII Cup". Racing Post. Retrieved 16 January 2012.[dead link]
18. ^ UKPA (15 June 2012). "Haggas forecasts Rain progress". Press Association. Retrieved 21 June 2012.[dead link]
19. ^ Milnes, David (6 April 2012). "Oaks winner Dancing Rain suffers setback". Racing Post. Retrieved 8 April 2012.[dead link]
20. ^ "Dancing Rain return delayed". Sporting Life. 14 August 2012. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
21. ^ Staff. "Ascot Result 20 Oct 2012". Racing Post. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
22. ^ "Longines Hong Kong Vase". Racing Post. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
23. ^ Staff (8 April 2013). "Oaks winner Dancing Rain in foal to Frankel". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 16 October 2014. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
24. ^ "Dancing Rain with Frankel foal fetches £4.2m at auction". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
25. ^ Baker, Stephanie. "Thoroughbred Market Booms as Buyers Bank on Pedigree". Bloomberg.com. Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
26. ^ "Dancing Rain (IRE)". Mare Produce Report. Equineline. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
27. ^ "Jalmoud". Godolphin. Archived from the original on 23 January 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
28. ^ Staff. "Dancing Rain 5x Pedigree". Retrieved 15 January 2012.

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Epsom Oaks winners

* 1779 Bridget
* 1780 Tetotum
* 1781 Faith
* 1782 Ceres
* 1783 Maid of the Oaks
* 1784 Stella
* 1785 Trifle
* 1786 Yellow Filly
* 1787 Annette
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* 1789 Tag
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* 1822 Pastille ‡
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* 1824 Cobweb
* 1825 Wings
* 1826 Lilias
* 1827 Gulnare
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* 1830 Variation
* 1831 Oxygen
* 1832 Galata
* 1833 Vespa
* 1834 Pussy
* 1835 Queen of Trumps
* 1836 Cyprian
* 1837 Miss Letty
* 1838 Industry
* 1839 Deception
* 1840 Crucifix ‡
* 1841 Ghuznee
* 1842 Our Nell
* 1843 Poison
* 1844 The Princess
* 1845 Refraction
* 1846 Mendicant
* 1847 Miami
* 1848 Cymba
* 1849 Lady Evelyn
* 1850 Rhedycina
* 1851 Iris
* 1852 Songstress
* 1853 Catherine Hayes
* 1854 Mincemeat
* 1855 Marchioness
* 1856 Mincepie
* 1857 Blink Bonny †
* 1858 Governess
* 1859 Summerside
* 1860 Butterfly
* 1861 Brown Duchess
* 1862 Feu de Joie
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* 1864 Fille de l'Air
* 1865 Regalia
* 1866 Tormentor
* 1867 Hippia
* 1868 Formosa ₩ ‡
* 1869 Brigantine
* 1870 Gamos
* 1871 Hannah ₩
* 1872 Reine
* 1873 Marie Stuart
* 1874 Apology ₩
* 1875 Spinaway
* 1876 Camelia (dh)
* 1876 Enguerrande (dh)
* 1877 Placida
* 1878 Jannette
* 1879 Wheel of Fortune
* 1880 Jenny Howlet
* 1881 Thebais
* 1882 Geheimniss
* 1883 Bonny Jean
* 1884 Busybody
* 1885 Lonely
* 1886 Miss Jummy
* 1887 Reve d'Or
* 1888 Seabreeze
* 1889 L'Abbesse de Jouarre
* 1890 Memoir
* 1891 Mimi
* 1892 La Fleche ₩
* 1893 Mrs Butterwick
* 1894 Amiable
* 1895 La Sagesse
* 1896 Canterbury Pilgrim
* 1897 Limasol
* 1898 Airs and Graces
* 1899 Musa
* 1900 La Roche
* 1901 Cap and Bells II
* 1902 Sceptre ₩ ‡
* 1903 Our Lassie
* 1904 Pretty Polly ₩
* 1905 Cherry Lass
* 1906 Keystone
* 1907 Glass Doll
* 1908 Signorinetta †
* 1909 Perola
* 1910 Rosedrop
* 1911 Cherimoya
* 1912 Mirska
* 1913 Jest
* 1914 Princess Dorrie
* 1915 Snow Marten
* 1916 Fifinella †
* 1917 Sunny Jane
* 1918 My Dear
* 1919 Bayuda
* 1920 Charlebelle
* 1921 Love in Idleness
* 1922 Pogrom
* 1923 Brownhylda
* 1924 Straitlace
* 1925 Saucy Sue
* 1926 Short Story
* 1927 Beam
* 1928 Toboggan
* 1929 Pennycomequick
* 1930 Rose of England
* 1931 Brulette
* 1932 Udaipur
* 1933 Chatelaine
* 1934 Light Brocade
* 1935 Quashed
* 1936 Lovely Rosa
* 1937 Exhibitionnist
* 1938 Rockfel
* 1939 Galatea
* 1940 Godiva
* 1941 Commotion
* 1942 Sun Chariot ₩
* 1943 Why Hurry
* 1944 Hycilla
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* 1947 Imprudence
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* 1953 Ambiguity
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* 1955 Meld ₩
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* 1960 Never Too Late
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* 1962 Monade
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* 1964 Homeward Bound
* 1965 Long Look
* 1966 Valoris
* 1967 Pia
* 1968 La Lagune
* 1969 Sleeping Partner
* 1970 Lupe
* 1971 Altesse Royale
* 1972 Ginevra
* 1973 Mysterious
* 1974 Polygamy
* 1975 Juliette Marny
* 1976 Pawneese
* 1977 Dunfermline
* 1978 Fair Salinia
* 1979 Scintillate
* 1980 Bireme
* 1981 Blue Wind
* 1982 Time Charter
* 1983 Sun Princess
* 1984 Circus Plume
* 1985 Oh So Sharp ₩
* 1986 Midway Lady
* 1987 Unite
* 1988 Diminuendo
* 1989 Snow Bride
* 1990 Salsabil
* 1991 Jet Ski Lady
* 1992 User Friendly
* 1993 Intrepidity
* 1994 Balanchine
* 1995 Moonshell
* 1996 Lady Carla
* 1997 Reams of Verse
* 1998 Shahtoush
* 1999 Ramruma
* 2000 Love Divine
* 2001 Imagine
* 2002 Kazzia
* 2003 Casual Look
* 2004 Ouija Board
* 2005 Eswarah
* 2006 Alexandrova
* 2007 Light Shift
* 2008 Look Here
* 2009 Sariska
* 2010 Snow Fairy
* 2011 Dancing Rain
* 2012 Was
* 2013 Talent
* 2014 Taghrooda
* 2015 Qualify
* 2016 Minding
* 2017 Enable
* 2018 Forever Together
* 2019 Anapurna
* 2020 Love
* 2021 Snowfall
* 2022 Tuesday
* 2023 Soul Sister
* 2024 Ezeliya
* 2025 Minnie Hauk

Legend \- ₩ = Fillies Triple Crown Winners, † = Epsom Derby Winners, ‡ = 2,000 Guineas Stakes Winners
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