Three decades on since Dancing Brave landed epic showdown

The King George of 30 years ago offered a rematch and redemption to Dancing Brave after his infamous defeat in the Derby, though it was the Epsom winner Shaharastani who started favourite at Ascot to confirm the form.

Between Epsom and Ascot Shahrastani had smashed his rivals in the Irish Derby by eight lengths, while Dancing Brave had been successfully stepped down in trip for the Eclipse.

The two came together again in the 1986 King George, though one difference was Dancing Brave's jockey, with Pat Eddery replacing the injured Greville Starkey, who had kept the ride at Sandown despite being widely criticised for his performance at Epsom, where he finished fast but too late to catch Shahrastani, who had always been in the right position under Walter Swinburn.