Dancing Brave inducted into the Qipco Hall of Fame

Dancing Brave carried almost all before him during his captivating career and his brilliance is recognised through his induction into the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame.

Click below to watch Dancing Brave's induction video:

The bay colt dazzled in 1986 when his six victories included the 2000 Guineas, Eclipse, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and an epic renewal of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. He was also an unlucky loser in The Derby, although the manner of his defeat only added to his legend.

Following The Derby, Dancing Brave bounced back and went on to win four races that year, including the Arc at Longchamp. From an unfavourably wide draw and with Hall of Fame jockey Eddery on board, Dancing Brave defeated a remarkably tough field of 14 opponents, including the likes of Derby winner Shahrastani, Acatenango (German Derby winner) and Bering (French Derby winner). Despite having 11 rivals in front of him with just a furlong and a half left, Dancing Brave showed astonishing pace to surge to the front and win comfortably in a record time.

The only horse rated superior to him since the International Classifications were first published, in 1977, has been the mighty Frankel, who was also owned by Prince Khalid under his Juddmonte Farms banner and who became the first horse to be inducted into the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame last year.

“On behalf of Prince Khalid’s family, for Dancing Brave to be the second horse owned by him, after Frankel, to be inducted into the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame is testament to Prince Khalid’s passion and vision for the thoroughbred. It is another significant landmark in Prince Khalid’s legacy which endures into the future. Everyone at Juddmonte is delighted that Dancing Brave has received this prestigious accolade”.

Douglas Erskine Crum, Chief Executive of Juddmonte, which is owned by the family of Dancing Brave’s late owner Prince Khalid Abdullah

“He was definitely the horse of the decade (1980s), if not amongst the top two or three in the last 40 years. What made him different to others was that most horses were specialists – either specialist milers, mile and a quarter or mile and a half – but Dancing Brave would have been a champion over any distance.

“My absolute standout memory of Dancing Brave has to be winning the Arc de Triomphe; it was one of the occasions where I had complete confidence that the horse was going to win. I was never in any doubt that he was at his best and at his best, he was unbeatable.”

Guy Harwood, Trainer of Dancing Brave

“Dancing Brave’s greatest attribute was his acceleration. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a horse accelerate like he could over a mile and a half. He was a freak in that respect. He was also incredibly versatile. He showed that acceleration over a mile when he won the 2000 Guineas, bursting clear of Green Desert, and he had that same telling acceleration over a mile and a half and that’s very unusual. He had this bit of brilliance about him which I don’t think I’d ever seen before and haven’t seen since in a middle-distance horse.”

Simon Holt, racing commentator and broadcaster