IT was a tough week for bookmakers and it became tougher towards the end, with Dancing Star landing some very handy bets in Saturday’s Qatar Stewards’ Cup after being backed down to 9/2 favourite. Not only that, but former Stewards’ Cup hero Hoof It was hardly friendless in the ‘consolation’ race which opened proceedings.

Dancing Star, owned by Jeff Smith and trained by Andrew Balding, is from the same family as the brilliant Lochsong, who won this and countless other top sprints for the same owner and Andrew’s father Ian in 1992 and thereafter.

Many realised that the far rails from a low number draw was the place to be, followed by the middle of the track with the nearside a poor third. Not only that but Dancing Star, drawn four, was certain to be given a lead by the very speedy older mare Ridge Ranger.

That was how the race worked out, with the underrated David Probert bringing the three-year-old filly through to lead just inside the final furlong. The prolific Orion’s Bow made his effort in the centre but the 6lb penalty proved just too much and he was beaten just over a length. Raucous and Growl moved over from their high draw and did extremely well to finish third and fourth.

Dancing Star was also penalised 6lb after winning a hot handicap at Newmarket, following in the footsteps of Magical Memory, who won both races twelve months ago. It was the penalty that brought her in on the bottom rung and, while racing is always dead easy afterwards, there could hardly have been more significant pointers.

“She is the first filly to win since Lochsong,” said proud owner-breeder Smith with a smile. “Lochsong was four when she won and was essentially a five-furlong sprinter, but this filly is going to be very interesting and it will be intriguing to see how she progresses.”

Smith has won many top races here, including a Sussex Stakes with Chief Singer and three Goodwood Cups via Grey Shot and Persian Punch twice, but for Probert, who shared the apprentices’ title with William Buick when both were given maximum support by the Baldings, this was an important breakthrough in a top handicap.

“Dancing Star has improved so much this year run by run,” he said. “She’s a lovely filly and there’s no reason why she shouldn’t keep going forward, this year and next.”

REMARKABLE SPRINTER

Mick Easterby’s Hoof It is a remarkable sprinter. Winner of the Stewards’ Cup in 2011 in happier days for Kieren Fallon, there have been times when he seemed to be on the downturn, but this year has brought a sudden improvement again. From a mark 16lb lower than five years ago, he landed the Qatar Stewards’ Sprint Stakes, the ‘consolation’ race, by a neck from Related with Nuno Tristan and Stellarta next.

He was helped by a drop of rain and overnight watering and landed some sizeable bets at 8/1 (from 14s) in the hands of apprentice Nathan Evans, who was celebrating his 19th birthday. A native of Derry, Evans was also third on the very speedy Bowson Fred on the opening day.

“I’ve show-jumped all my life but always wanted to get into racing and I got an opportunity at Mick Easterby’s two years ago. He’s a great man to work for and very fair,” he said.

Hoof It runs in the colours of golfer Lee Westwood and his agent Chubby Chandler, though both were absent at the US PGA Championship in New Jersey.

William Haggas’ Raucous finished a very good third from a poor draw in the big sprint, but the amiable Newmarket handler had plenty to celebrate anyway with Dal Harraild and the expensive youngster Lockheed giving him a double.

Dal Harraild came from a long way back when narrowly beaten at Ascot, but Pat Cosgrave found a gap in the nick of time to get up and beat Shraaoh and Move Up by a short-head and a neck in the Qatar Handicap over a mile and a half.

“I’m grateful to handicapper Phil Smith,” Haggas said with a grin. “I asked him after Ascot if we should go for the Gordon Stakes and he said I must be mad. Why go for that off a rating of 98? Sometimes you need someone with a bit of logic!”

Lockheed, a son of Exceed And Excel, cost the China Horse Club 450,000gns. A good second on his Ascot debut, he was made even-money favourite for the seven-furlong maiden but it took all of Ryan Moore’s skill and strength to get him home by half a length from Ray’s The Money.

In fairness, he was stuck behind horses at a critical stage. His next run, in the Acomb Stakes at York, should be most informative.

The layers hit back when Mark Johnston’s Hawatif took the seven-furlong handicap at 12/1 - Tigerwolf an eye-catching third- and the unconsidered Illusive landed the closing apprentices’ race at 28/1. However, by then another hot favourite, Al Shaqab’s French-trained Al Mourtajez, had cantered away with the very valuable Arab race at 4/5. Moore’s double at a most attractive and successful meeting made him easily the top jokey with eight winners in all.