Dancing Star In Possible Gold Run

Dancing Star (GB) took the quickstep to success in Saturday's Qatar Stewards' Cup to become the top-rated runner for her ill-fated sire Aqlaam (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and the first filly to win the competitive sprint prize since her relation Lochsong (GB) (Song {GB}) in 1992.

Her trainer Andrew Balding is considering a trip north for the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup on Sept. 17, ahead of a longer-term aim of a likely seasonal swansong in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint at Ascot a month later.

He said, “It's a valuable race and we are still in the hat, as it were. I could put her in the Haydock race [Sprint Cup], but I don't think it's right to jump into the supplementaries at this stage. She's improving fast. She's got better and better.”

Bred by Jeff Smith at Littleton Stud, Dancing Star's family has served the Hampshire nursery well. Her grandam Lochangel (GB) (Night Shift) is a half-sister to the outstanding Lochsong (GB) (Song {GB}), who went on to win eight group races after her Stewards' Cup success, including back-to-back victories in the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye.

Trained by Balding's father, Ian, Lochsong was a tearaway in every sense of the word, unlike the latest speedy member of the family to emanate from Kingsclere.

Andrew Balding added, “Dancing Star's not a head-case like her famous relation [Lochsong]. She's nothing but a pleasure to train.”