Rain springs 20-1 Oaks shock

Dancing Rain
12 April 2012

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, chased by the strongly fancied Wonder Of Wonders.

Dancing Rain had plenty in the locker, however, and the determined front-runner kept going strongly to score by three-quarters of a length, with another four lengths to Izzi Top, who edged out favourite and 1000 Guineas heroine Blue Bunting for third.

Murtagh told BBC Sport: "I spoke to William and I said I think I`ll make the running. I watched the videos of her races and she seems to travel very well and is uncomplicated.

"We set a nice pace but she was ducking and diving, so I knew there was loads left in the tank. I picked her up in the last half-mile and it worked really well for her.

"I knew Group Ones were going to be hard to come by this year. William rang me up for the ride and I was delighted to take it. You need to be in the big races and you need to be on a good one."

Haggas added: "Johnny was clever, but she stays and we didn`t make enough use of her last time, but that was a learning process. She's done it well today.

"I`m thrilled to bits. Maureen (Haggas's wife) broke her leg off this filly coming out of the stalls, but the filly has rewarded her anyway." Mrs Haggas, the daughter of legendary jockey Lester Piggott, is sporting a cast on the leg she broke giving Dancing Rain a stalls prep.

Frankie Dettori was called in by the stewards for dropping his hands on Blue Bunting having seemingly had third place sewn up inside the final furlong.

He was handed a 10-day suspension (June 17-26 inclusive), which means he will miss the final two days of Royal Ascot, most notably the ride on Delegator in the Golden Jubilee Stakes. He will also sit out the following week, including the Irish Derby meeting.

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