Racing:Dancing Rain benefited from a brilliant front-running ride by Johnny Murtagh to take the glory in the Investec Oaks at Epsom. The William Haggas-trained 20-1 chance was soon dictating affairs in the mile-and-a-half contest and began to turn the screw early in the straight.
Kieren Fallon sat second on the strongly-fancied Wonder Of Wonders throughout but try as she might, she was unable to get past the determined front-runner.
Wonder Of Wonders stayed on to fill the runner-up spot, beaten three-quarters of a length, while Izzi Top edged out favourite and 1000 Guineas heroine Blue Bunting for third.
Earlier, St Nicholas Abbey swooped late to deny gallant mare Midday in a thrilling renewal of the Coronation Cup.
Aidan O’Brien’s colt was disappointing in the 2000 Guineas on his only start as a three-year-old but a recent victory at Chester suggested the fire still burned bright.
Favourite backers would have been sweating as multiple Group One winner Midday cruised to the front passing the three-furlong marker, with Ryan Moore working hard on St Nicholas Abbey.
But the complexion of the race changed in the closing stages as St Nicholas Abbey’s stamina began to kick in and he managed to pick up Midday and score by a length.
“Midday just quickened up a bit better than me. I was going to make the running but Dandino wanted to go on,” Moore said after the race. “It just took him a while to hit top gear but he was very honest today — he fought very hard. It definitely looks like a mile and a half (is his trip) at the moment.”
O’Brien added: “He’s a great horse. He was easy and I messed him up last year and didn’t want to mess him up again. I wanted him to be natural and not to overwork him.
“It was a slowly-run race and Ryan was happy (with) the way it unfolded for him. The horse has a big heart which is marvellous. Everything is usually discussed when we go home. The King George is a definite possible, but we will sit down and talk about it.”