Haggas admits to race against time with Rain

Tuesday 25 September 2012

By Geoffrey Riddle

William Haggas has admitted that he is running out of time to get Dancing Rain back on a racecourse either for this season or even at all.

Last season’s Oaks winner was set to make her seasonal bow at York’s Ebor meeting last month but after working along the July Course at Newmarket in preparation for a run in the Yorkshire Oaks she pulled up sore behind.

The daughter of Danehill Dancer has not raced since she was only 16^th of 18 behind Snow Fairy in the Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup in Japan in November.

“She been so frustrating. We’ve had lots of little niggles with her,” Haggas told Racing UK. “She looks terrific but we are running out of time. It would be a tragedy if she had to retire now.”

Although the four-year-old is entered in the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe the Longchamp race on October 7 would come to soon.

Dancing Rain won the inaugural Qipco British Champions Fillies’ and Mares’ Stakes at Ascot last season but even a defence of her title hangs in the balance.

“She’s in the mile and a half fillies’ race at Ascot,” added Haggas. “Then there’s the Breeders’ Cup as well as races in Hong Kong and Japan as well as Japan, but we will see how we go.”

(Watch part one of Racing UK's wide-ranging interview with William Haggas at midday and 1pm on Thursday. Part two will be broadcast at 11.30am on Friday)