How great was Dancing Brave?
analysis
- #1Best ever European flat race horse
- #2Best ever British flat racehorse
- Best ever middle-distance racehorse from British Isles
- Best ever European middle distance horse
- Amongst top 5 European flat racehorses ever
- Amongst top 5 middle distance horses ever from Britain and Ireland
- Better than Mill Reef
- Better than Sea the Stars
- Better than Nijinsky
- Better than Shergar
- Better than Sea Bird
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Today the world of racing celebrates the 40th birthday of the equine superstar, Dancing Brave,who was born on May 11th in 1983.In 1986 he left a landmark in horse racing as few have ever done, reminiscent of a comet arriving. His performances created the sensation of a new epoch written in the sport.
Never in my lifetime have I witnessed a horse with such reservoirs of finishing power or speed, which could with so effortlessly win off the pace. Dancing Brave’s electrifying speed towards the end of race, when he gave a burst from no man’s land, almost defied conventional bio mechanics. He would not quicken in one or two strides, but in characteristic style slowly propel himself to optimum pace, similar to a musical symphony reaching a crescendo.
Racing Career
Dancing Brave hardly proved himself as a two year old but at the very start of his three year old career illustrated his phenomenal potential, in the Craven Stakes.
He overpowered top miler Green Desert with absolute disdain in the 2000 Guineas, winning in an ever quick time, giving the sensation of a sudden burst of wind. Rarely has any Guineas winner displayed such overwhelming authority.
In the 1986 Epsom Derby, Greville Starkey’s faulty riding tactics cost the colt a most deserved win in the Blue Riband. Starkey placed him close to the rear at Tattenham Corner, virtually putting the shutters on his ward of having any chance of victory .Inspite of the deficit, the colt displayed one of racing’s most dazzling bursts of finishing speed, running the last 2 furlongs at 22.7 seconds, to come within the skin of the teeth in catching Shahrastani. Never had an Epsom Derby witnessed such scintillating acceleration in the final stages.
A few weeks later in the Eclipse stakes Dancing Brave crushed stars like Triptych, an American Derby winner, Bold Arrangement, in one of the fastest times recorded.
In the King George 6th Diamond Stakes the colt was let off a little too early in the straight but still prevailed by ¾ of a length over Shardari. No his best performance, though.
At Goodwood he won his preparation race for the Arc with authority possibly no colt did in a preparation for a big race.The 1986 Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe reminded one of an all star cast of a Hollywod epic, with possibly the strongest field ever. It included the great French Derby winner Bering, Dual Derby winner Shahrastani , German Derby winner Archenango, Champion racemare Tryptich and top older horse ,Shardari.
After turning from home Dancing Brave was travelling on the outside around 8th place. Two furlongs out Bering hit the front and the result looked a forgeone conclusion, with Dancing Brave looking like having no leeway. In the characteristic style of a superhorse, Dancing Brave made his bid around a furlong from home, running through the field as though he had just been jumped in. The change in complexion in the race was reminiscent of a 360 degree turn in plot in a Hollywood epic or a divine intervention, with the colt almost re-defining laws of physics.. Dancing Brave made his rivals look like mere telegraphic poles, after hitting the front. His rivals resembled knights giving way and bowing down to an emperor in a parade .Dancing Brave that day made a cluster of great horses look like leaves tossed in gale.I don’t want to sound biased but I find it hard to conceive that any racing great has matched this acceleration in an Arc. In my view it ranks possibly amongst the 3 best performances ever by a European racehorse, and the best ever performance in an Arc after Se Bird. That day Dancing Brave transcended zones unscaled by a thoroughbred , taking sporting athleticism to it’s superlative height.
Sadly the icon could not retire on a winning note, in the Breeders cup, a few weeks late, losing to Manila and Theatrical.
I recommend fans to read the thoughts o Guy Harwood on this equine superstar and see the youtube of why Dancing Brave’s Arc performance was a defining point of thoroughbred supremacy.
Perhaps I feel sorry for Greville Starkey missing the ride in the Arc, who rode him to victory in the Guineas and the Eclipse. I also wish we could have seen Dancing Brave on the race track as a four year old.
Evaluation of place amongst the greatest ever
Even with a gun on my head, I would still not accurately be able to judge Dancing Brave’s place in the pantheon of the greats. However unhesitatingly I would place him in contention with the very greatest, be it Sea Bird,Ribot,Nijinsky or Mill Reef.
I assert that for pure finishing speed, the colt had no equal. We must give credit to Dancing Brave for in 1986, overpowering horses of the stature, even Nijisnky, Sea the Stars and Mill Reef did not encounter.
In my personal view, Dancing Brave deserved a timeform rating of 141, on par with Mill Reef.Timeform and Racing Post franked Dancing Brave’s rating to 140.A weakness of this star was that he was not effective on soft ground like Mill Reef, or as versatile over different distances like Nijinsky or Sea the Stars and thus lacked the sheer diversity of some of the greatest champions.. Possibly Dancing Brave couldn’t stay a distance over a mile and a half, unlike Nijinsky and Mill Reef, or Sea the Stars. Nijinsky won the Leger and had he run in it in 1971, Mill Reef would almost certainly have won it.
After hitting the front Dancing Brave possibly did not emulate the likes of Ribot, Sea Bird,Shergar and Mill Reef.
He also was to me not the equal of Sea the Stars in sheer tenacity or durability.
It was a cut throat competition between Shergar and Dancing Brave for the horse of the 1980’s .I give Dancing Brave the nod when I analyse the stature of opponents and speed.If I weigh all factors at his best I would rank Dancing Brave only behind Sea Bird amongst European flat racehorses and on firm going possibly the best ever racehorse from the Britain or Ireland. If one throws light on electronic speed, Dancing Brave surpassed Sea Bird in 1986, and would possibly have defeated Sea Bird, had they raced together. Still, that does not make him Sea Bird’s equal, with evolution or improvement in breeding methods. Amongst British and Irish trained colts he was possibly the best in the middle-distance category.
A weakness of this star was that he was not…as versatile over different distances like Nijinsky or Sea the Stars”.
Why do you say that? He won strong Group 1s over three different distances
“He also was to me not the equal of Sea the Stars in sheer tenacity or durability.”
I don’t understand that. He ran in most of the same races. Guineas, Derby, Eclipse, Arc. OK, Sea The Stars won an International and Irish Champion Stakes as well but they were not such big races in Dancing Brave’s era, hence him running in the King George instead (which was the mid summer target in his day).
Amongst all the great horses you have mentioned there is one obvious omission – Frankel. It is difficult to compare horses from different eras but I think Frankel would have defeated Dancing Brave over a mile and over 10 furlongs.
Having said that, Dancing Brave’s Arc win is still the best individual performance I have seen, bearing in mind the manner of his victory and the quality of the opposition he defeated.
As for the Derby, I don’t believe Starkey’s tactics were “faulty”. After all, Eddery gave the horse a similar ride in the Arc. The issue was Dancing Brave did not handle the track at Epsom particularly well.
Seldom agree with the analysis of the author and seldom find a vote option that reflects my view either as they all make a statement I don’t necessarily agree with.
Always an interesting topic, though.
I only saw Dancing Brave run twice – when he won the Craven in the most testing ground I ever saw on the Rowley Mile in the halcyon pre watering era and in The Derby.
A great colt, but I couldn’t rate him higher than Sea Bird.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"I did not think Shahrastani was ever the same after he spreadeagled his field at the Curragh – am not suggesting for one minuite he’d have confirmed the Epsom form, but I did have a soft spot for him right from that in your face sack load of promise debut at Newbury. Also knew someone who regularly was in touch with Jimmy Scott and the yard were all over him throughout the winter (they also had some hyped up colt from the same crop called Danishgar who turned out to be very ordinary) – also got to see Shahrastani in the Dante but not the Brave. DB’s Eclipse was also stonewall solid form wise, with trusty yardsticks like Bedtime, Teleprompter and Triptych – I kept bumping into the latter and saw her beat Celestial Storm in the year the Champion was run on the July Course, then the following year on the Rowley when she beat Most Welcome, and in her three appearances in the B&H. Real feelgood factor around in the sport at that time.
“As for the Derby, I don’t believe Starkey’s tactics were “faulty”. After all, Eddery gave the horse a similar ride in the Arc. The issue was Dancing Brave did not handle the track at Epsom particularly well.”
I’ve been saying this to people for years. The horse failed to quicken when Starkey asked him to do so and took the best part of a furlong to hit his stride, having run down the camber.
Had the horse quickened instantly, as he had done previously and did again subsequently, he would comfortably have won the Derby.
I thought this on the day.
I was in the press box and inside it afterwards all the pompous old (public) school idiots were calling Starkey all sorts.
Fact is he was on a son of Lyphard, he was held up to get the trip, pretty much the same way Lester Piggott had held up Sir Ivor, they didn’t go that quick (so, ok, maybe Starkey should have settled the colt a bit closer initially) but bottom line was Starkey tried to move forward going down the Hill, Dancing Brave didn’t handle the Hill at all, so didn’t make headway and by Tattenham Corner Starkey was in a hopeless position and due to the modest pace had to come round the entire field.
Shows how brilliant Dancing Brave was that he was beaten only half a length because the winner wasn’t stopping in a sprint finish.
But, for all that, Sea Bird won his races easier and by further.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"“running the last 2 furlongs at 22.7 seconds, to come within the skin of the teeth in catching Shahrastani”
Dancing Brave actually ran the last 2 furlongs of the Derby in 21.5 (penultimate in 10.3 and last in 11.2)
As for Dancing Brave’s Arc sectionals, read this article posted around two and a half years ago…
“Dancing Brave actually ran the last 2 furlongs of the Derby in 21.5 (penultimate in 10.3 and last in 11.2)”
I’ve never timed it, but the third (Mashkour) appeared to be finishing even faster than Dancing Brave did.
Before my time
I put better than Shergar because I don’t like the Sugar cupGaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
“Sea-Bird’s Arc remains the definitive performance over a mile and a half”
I wouldn’t dispute this.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"I still think his Arc win was a visually stunning performance and one of the great races to watch but form ratings wise, I do think it was an overblown rating as we all know extra lbs were added on during that time for ‘easy of victory’ and lets not forget that he beat Triptych much further in both the Eclipse and King George earlier in the season than he did in the Arc itself.
Of all the options available, I can only place my vote in the: Amongst top 5 middle distance horses ever from Britain and Ireland section and the word ‘amongst’ is critical because personally I could reel off 5 horses (Brigadier Gerard, Frankel, Mill Reef, Nijinsky & Sea The Stars) the first 3 of which I think are simply better with the final two being at least on a par with him if not better.
All those named showed brilliance in several of their races but for me Frankel showed it with an almost monotonous regularity in nearly all of his races that really defies logic and puts him at the top of my list…….maybe had Mill Reef not been plagued with illness and injuries in his 4yr old season he could well have been rated even higher.
Dancing Brave was a very special horse and the manner of that Arc win will always be one of the all time great race memories but to me I simply can’t name him as the best ever.
“I’ve never timed it, but the third (Mashkour) appeared to be finishing even faster than Dancing Brave did.”
Mashkour and Dancing Brave both raced within close proximity to each other towards the back of the field for most of the race. Entering the straight, Mashkour tried to thread his way through the field whilst Dancing Brave did look unbalanced.
When Dancing Brave got going, Mashkour appeared to be already 2 or possibly 3 lengths ahead of him (although the camera angle doesn’t help). Dancing Brave then blasts past Mashkour in a few strides (around two and a half furlongs out) and sustains this charge going into the last furlong with, what looks like, a 4 length advantage over Mashkour.
Mashkour did sppear to run a faster last furlong than the first two home. Overall though, Dancing Brave’s turn of foot was far superior.Mashkour was essentially a stayer, and lacked a turn of foot, and had been comprehensively outpaced by Dancing Brave in the Craven Stakes. He was thrashed by Shahrastani at the Curragh, but might well have gone close at Epsom given a proper end-to-end gallop.
I felt sure Mashkour would turn the tables on Shahrastani in the Irish Derby given that I thought the flatter more galloping course would be tailor made for him……..and well we all know how well that went
Ultimately he ended up being rather disappointing (although funnily enough he did win the 1991 Grade 1 San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap at the age of 8! when trained by Bobby Frankel) but looking back at the Derby outside of the first two only Allez Milord (2) and Mashkour (1) went on to win G1/Grade 1 races afterward although Then Again (13th at Epsom) turned out to be a good miler.
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