Dancing Rain

Dancing Rain
Dancing Rain after her win in the 2011 Epsom Oaks with jockey Johnny Murtagh.
Sire	Danehill Dancer
Grandsire	Danehill
Dam	Rain Flower
Damsire	Indian Ridge
Sex	Mare
Foaled	24 April 2008
Country	Ireland
Colour	Chestnut
Breeder	Swettenham Stud
Owner	1) Martin J. and Lee A. Taylor 2) Sheikh Mohammed
Trainer	William Haggas
Record	10: 4-2-1
Earnings	£ 572,503
Major wins
Epsom Oaks (2011) British Champions Fillies' and Mares' Stakes (2011) Preis der Diana (2011)

Dancing Rain (foaled on 24 April 2008) is a retired Thoroughbred mare that was bred in Ireland and raced in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany and Japan. Dancing Rain was the unanticipated winner of the 2011 Epsom Oaks and won the Preis der Diana in the later part of her three-year-old season. Her form faltered late in her three-year-old year, finishing 16th out of a field of 19 horses in the Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup in Japan. Her four-year-old season was plagued with injury and she did not run in a race until late October 2012. Retired at the end of 2012, Dancing Rain became a broodmare at Clairemont Stud in Hampshire and was subsequently sold to Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for £4.2m while in foal to Frankel.

Dancing Rain was bred by Swettenham Stud, a breeding operation owned by the Sangster family, and was foaled on 24 April 2008 at Camas Park Stud in Tipperary. Dancing Rain's sire, Danehill Dancer, stands at Coolmore Stud and also produced Choisir, a renowned sprinter. Her dam, Rain Flower, did not race and is a three-quarters sister to Epsom Derby winner Dr. Devious. Rain Flower has produced nine foals to date, and five of her offspring have gone on to win races.

Dancing Rain was consigned as a yearling by Camas Park Stud to the 2009 Goff's Orby Million and Sportsman's Yearling Sale in Ireland as lot ("Hip") number 4, where she was purchased by Liam Norris and William Huntingdon for €200,000 ($292,120). Norris and Huntingdon purchased Dancing Rain on behalf of brothers Martin and Lee Taylor.

Dancing Rain was trained by William Haggas, who also trained the 1996 Epsom Derby winner Shaamit, at his Somerville Lodge Stables in Newmarket. Dancing Rain won four of her ten career starts and was second twice.

Dancing Rain was not a promising racehorse during her early training and was initially labeled as "hopeless" by her trainer. She improved late in the season and her first and only start as a two-year-old occurred on 19 October at Yarmouth for the Division 1 European Breeders' Fund Maiden Fillies Stakes. She was ridden by Michael Hills and was beaten by 3.5 lengths by the filly Annedah, who was owned by Ali Saeed.