Dancing Steve

Yet there are hints of what Dancing Steve can do when conditions align. On normal ground he has a better record, winning twice from 15 races (roughly 1 in every 7 or 8 attempts), compared to his overall win rate of just 7 percent across all conditions. Similarly, over distances between 1 mile 1 furlong and 1 mile 2 furlongs — his sweet spot — he has won 1 from 7 races, a 14 percent win rate that suggests he is not hopeless at the right trip. His first career win came at Tipperary on 1 September 2024, and that second victory at Navan just under a year later shows he is capable of better, even if consistency has eluded him.

Adam Caffrey, his main rider, has partnered him for 12 races and won once, a record that mirrors the horse's broader struggle. Dancing Steve remains actively racing — he ran as recently as a day ago — which means there is still time for him to string together some wins. Trained by Adrian McGuinness at Lusk, Co Dublin, he runs in a yard that has already sent out 45 winners this season, so there is no shortage of experience around him. For now, though, Dancing Steve is a horse treading water, capable of the occasional good day but not yet a reliable performer.