The Legend called Dancing Brave-foaled in 1983

In 1984 James Delahookee picked a colt by Lyphard out of Nvajo Princess, on behalf of Khalid Abdullah of Saudi Arabia for only $. 200,000 at the Keeneland Summer Yearling Sale.Very few people could predict at that time that this colt would emerge as a superstar. The colt was to be called Dancing Brave who went on to become one of the 20^th Century's racing legends.

    His sire Lyphard, was an outstanding miler by the great Northern Dancer, the greatest sire if the Century.Lyphard, had already produced stalwarts like 1979 Arc winner Three Troikas as well as 1978 Prix Vermeille winner, Dancing Maid.On his dam side Nvajo Princess had won 8 grade races while her sire Drone produced 44 Stakes winners. These included Lady Capulet the Irish 1000 Guineas winner.

            In 1986 this colt's performances were head and shoulders above any European racehorse and he became the first horse to poll all 27 votes for the horse of the year since Brigadier Gerard. He had become the first horse to win the 2000guineas,the Eclipse Stakes, the King George 6^th and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. (He was robbed of historic 5 big race wins in the Epsom Derby as a result of wrong judgement of the Jockey that cost him the race) The colt simply displayed phenomenal acceleration. He would not explode in the manner of most good horse and would gradually lengthen his stride to reach his optimum pace, reaching low to the ground. Once he had lengthened to his fullest stride he would simply fly past the opposition like a jet plane. He also possessed the smoothest possible action and was blessed with an extremely sound temperament. His lad Billy Graham stated that he had a most placid and amenable nature. Above all he had the will to win, the quality that differentiated and outstanding athlete from an average one.

             Dancing Brave was schooled at Guy Harwood's stable in Pulborough. Harwood started preparing the colt as a two year old in May and in August 1985 started a rigorous training programme for his colt. Dancing Brave made a winning debut in the Dorking Stakes trouncing the opposition by 3 lengths. He followed this with a victory in the Soham House Stakes.He accelerated brilliantly furlong and a half from home to defeat Northern Amethyst and Lassagne. However at the end of the season Dancing Brave was rated 11lb.below Huntingdale, the William Hill  Dewhurst Stakes winner.

               As a 3 year old in the early part of the season Harwood noticed the great potential this colt possessed. In the morning workouts he was simply outclassing high-class older horses. His constitution had also undergone a remarkable change from what he was as a two-year-old.

             As a three-year-old he made a winning debut as a three-year-old, despite facing heavy going. Syllvene set the pace from Illuminer and Flying Dancer with Dancing Brave lying in 5^th Place. With 2 furlongs to go the colt flew past the leaders to win by 2 and a half lengths

                 Dancing Brave was now firm favorite for the 2000 Guineas. His chief opponents were Huntingdale, the Dewhurst Stakes winner and Green Desert, the season's subsequent champion sprinter. Hail to Roberto set the pace from Green Desert till 3 furlongs from home where Green Desert took up the running. Upto this point Dancing Brave lay a handy fourth. With 2 furlongs to go Dancing Brave quickened in magnificent style to win by 3 lengths from Green Desert.

           Dancing Brave now became a firm 5-2 favorite for the Epsom Derby. A lot of racing experts could not believe a horse possessing the colt's speed could stay the Derby course.

            In the Blue Riband Dancing Brave was settled three from rear for most of the race. Upto Tattenham Corner the placing's remained the same with Dancing Brave still lying 3 from the rear and more than 12 lengths behind the leader. On entering the straight Swinburn improved Shahrastani's position snatching the lead 2 furlongs from home. On entering the Straight Greville Starkey urged Dancing Brave; but the colt took time to settle into his stride. With 2 furlongs to go Dancing Brave produced a devastating burst, perhaps never witnessed in the Epsom Derby before running the last furlong in a record 11.2 seconds. However, tragically he failed to catch Shahrastani by a neck. There was no doubt in my mind and that of several racing experts that the colt had been kept far too behind the leaders at Tattenham Corner to stand any chance of winning. It was almost certainly the error on the part of the jockey that the Brave lost his unbeaten tag in the Derby.He was possibly the unluckiest loser or the best horse not to win the Blue Riband.

           3 weeks later Dancing Brave was to run in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown.Here he faced Trypitch, the champion racemare who had been placed in 18 Group one races all over the World including dual Coronation Cup victories as well as wins in the Irish 2000 Guineas and the Champion Stakes.His other opponents were Teleprompter, the Arlington Million Winner and Bold Arrangement, the Kentucky Derby winner, the previous year.

              Dancing Brace hit the front in the straight 2 furlongs from home  after Greville Starkey switched him to the outside and coasted along to a brilliant 4 length win. The great mare Tryptich finished the runner-up. It was a magnificent sight for racegoers to watch this colt's great acceleration and effortless strides. It was reminiscent of Mill Reef beating Caro, by the same margin, 15 years ago. The colt's trainer Guy Harwood was now convinced that he was the best horse he had ever trained.

                   In the King George 6^th and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes, Europe's premiere race for middle distance horses, Shahrastani stared favorite at odds of 11 to 10 after a smashing 8-length Irish Derby victory. Dancing Brave was second Favourite.The other principal opponents were Trypitch, Shardari, the 1986 Champion Older horse and Petoski, the 1985 Champion middle -distance horse.(The previous King George Winner

                  However in this premier race although emerging victorous Pat Eddery’s riding tactics denied Dancing Brave an opportunity to give his best performance. He hit the front too soon in the straight and thus the colt's energy was not conserved in the manner it ought to have been. A furlong and a half from home Shardari had moved into the lead at which point Pat Eddery pushed Dancing Brave.After settling into his stride the colt gave an electrifying burst and like a flash of lightning passed Shardari and appeared to be sailing for home. However Shardari came back at him and at the line Dancing Brave had 3/4 of a winning margin to spareThe colt gave a electrifying busrt 2 furlongs from home but Sharadari came back at him and Dancing Brave had only ¾ of a length to spare at the post.

         . (The mile and a half was his limit) Shahrastani finished 5^th, 7 lengths behind the winner, well and truly beaten.

              As a preliminary to the Arc Dancing Brave was entered in the Goodwood Stakes. He lay in 4^th place for most of the race and with 2 furlongs to go Greville asked his mount to respond. Dancing Brave overtook the long-time leader Ozo Paulo to win by merciless 12 lengths. The colt had broken the course record.

           That year the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe had the most competitive Ac field since Sea Bird's Arc Field in 1965.Bering, had won the Prix du Jockey Club by 4 lengths in record timeand was rated the best French Colt to have raced for a very long time. His jockey Gary Moore considered him invincible. Archenango, the German Champion was unbeaten and was one of the best horses to have run in Germany for a long time. Shahrastani was an above average Dual Derby winner. In Trypitch and Shardari, there were 2 remarkable older horses. Darara, the Prix Vermeille winner too was participating. Thus it was the assembling of the true Kings of the Royal Sport. Dancing Brave started as the 11to 10 favorite. In his morning workouts he was simply blazing away like a truly great athlete, outpacing opponents after conceding a stone.

        In the big race itself The colt displayed one of the most devastating  bursts of finishing speed ever displayed in horseracing. Dancing Brave was still 3 fom the rear A furlong and a half from home when  Pat Eddery urged his mount. At first the colt lengthened his stride to reach his optimum pace and then  simply flew passed Bering, in the last 100 yards to win by a length and a half, smashing the course record. He ran the last furlong in 10.8 sec's perhaps the fastest ever in the history of the race. The time he thundered past the leaders was reminiscent of a bullet zooming out of a gun. Dancing Brave had now become the equivalent of a Muhammad Ali or a Pele to Flat Racing. On that day he ran like a true equine machine and gained a permanent place in racing's all-time greats like Sea Bird, Ribot, Mill Reef, Brigadier Gerard and Nijinsky.

         On returning home Dancing Brave got a tremendous reception -that of a superstar. He was next to run in the Breeders championship in America, the equivalent of a world Championship in Flat Racing.Dancing Brave was such a superstar that it was the question of by how much he would win, rather than whether he would win. His trainer described him to be in great Shape.It appeared that nothing could stop the emperor from seizing the Crown, who now had the image of a Hollywood Star.

               Alas, he could only finish fourth. After3 furlongs he met with an eye injury when changing from the dirt to the grass track. The turns there were also unfavorable to the great horse, differing greatly from the European equivalents.   These 2 factors considerably went against the star who finished behind Manila, Theatrical and Estrapade.   Another reason could have been a long and arduous racing season and the fatigue of travelling. Surely Dancing Brave was not his true Self. It was a sad ending for the great horse as well as a sad spectacle for racegoers to witness a true superstar defeated in that manner. 

            Dancing Brave was retired to the Dalham Hall Stud in England for 14 million pounds. He was later exported to Japan.in 1993 he performed the outstanding feat of producing the Epsom Derby winner, Commander-In -Chief, the IrishOaks winner Wemyss Bight and the Italian Derby winner White Muzzle. However in Japan he fell considerably ill contracting a disease and eventually died in 1999.It was a great loss to racing.

     How did Dancing Brave compare with the all -time Great horses like Sea Bird, Ribot, Mill Reef, Nijinsky and Shergar? In my view, like several experts only Mill Reef, Sea Bird and Ribot can rate above him as middle-distance runners. He was given a rating of 141, the highest awarded to any racehorse ever(innaugurated in 1977) in the International classifications. Racing Post rated him the 17^th best racehorse of all time  and ahead of Shergar.Dancing Brave is the only racehorse to win he 2000 Guineas and the Prix de L’Arc De Triomphe.Arc. In my view  his performance in the 1986 Arc was the best middle-distance performance by a European racehorse since Sea Bird’s sensational 1965 Arc victory. No European racehorse possessed Dancing Brave’s finishing speed ,who simply would win coming off the pace,like arocket propelled in the air. His only drawbacks were that he was ineffective on heavy going.(would have missed he Arc if the going washeavy) and that he never proved himself as a stayer beyond the distance of amile and ahalf.Morally,he should have joined Mill Reef  in completing the famous quadruple of the Epsom Derby, Eclipse, King Georgeand Arc.(Starkey’s riding tactics robbed him of a certain Epsom Derby win)           It is possible that race goers may never witness the likes of Dancing Brave again. He was simply a horse that came once in a lifetime-the closest to a complete racehorse.