Norse Dancer (nearest) closes the gap on Lucky Story to win by a short head. DA6165P17THE Sovereign Stakes, rightfully upgraded to a Group Three race - Salisbury's first for almost 20 years - more than lived up to its billing on Thursday.

All the ingredients were there at a superb-looking Netherhamp-ton track, glistening in the August sun after a fierce early afternoon shower.

The star-studded field included a Godolphin favourite with Frankie Dettori on board, a six-time winner in Hurricane Alan, last year's winner Passing Glance, looking to retain its crown, and Mark Johnston's classy Lucky Story making its seasonal debut.

But it was a horse so often dismissed by the pundits as an also-ran and never-will-be, that had travelled just seven miles up the road, that provided the magic to make the occasion one to remember.

Norse Dancer, now with John Egan in the saddle in place of the injured Richard Quinn, was content to settle at the rear of the pack during the early stages of this £60,000-mile contest.

True to character, last year's winner Passing Glance made all the running, but there was to be no repeat performance from him as Lucky Story rose to the challenge.

Out of action for 335 days, the Mark Johnston-trained horse was perfectly poised to take the spoils on the standside until Norse Dancer, drawn widest of them all, pounced stealth-like, timing his run to perfection to get the photograph verdict by a short head.

"Wow," said delighted clerk of the course, Jeremy Martin.

"What is it about this race? A short-head finish once again."

Norse Dancer, sent off at 3-1, had finally fulfilled the faith shown by Whitsbury trainer David Elsworth.

A quality race, won by a quality horse.

Wow indeed!

Trainer is happy to set Norse's record straight

MOMENTS before the horses were led into the parade ring ahead of Thursday's eagerly awaited feature race, the totesport Sovereign Stakes, David Elsworth squeezed my arm and with a wry old wink that suggested he had every confidence in a horse that has caused so much consternation to others in recent months, said in a mock Yorkshire accent: "Eee, it's rite big race is this."

Some 20 minutes later as more than 3,000 people are hushed to hear the result of the photograph, Elsworth, now at a canter en route to welcoming Norse Dancer and jockey John Egan back into the ring, breaks stride momentarily to say: "I think we got it, don't you?"

From my vantage point I was already convinced the four-year-old had indeed done enough to land Salisbury's richest ever race.

But the roar that greeted the result relayed by the voice of the PA system announcer, made my reply inaudible.

Two years ago the famous victory by Persian Punch had brought a similar whoop of delight from the punters at the Netherhampton course and it was hard not to think of the great warrior who died earlier this year, as Egan, in the same Persian Punch colours of owner JC Smith, and Norse Dancer received a rousing Wiltshire welcome to the winners' enclosure.

Elsworth, never backward in coming forward, was quick to put the assembled national media boys in their place.

"There has been so much garbage written about this horse," he said, adopting his stern headmaster's pose. "But he is top class and today he had all the chances going if he wanted to throw it away."

But the frown soon gave way to a broad smile as his delight of the horse's success kicked in.

"I'm just frustrated that people put labels around his neck. He's only run two bad races in his life and that was in the Queen Anne and in the Eclipse."

Defending Norse Dancer's record, Elsworth added: "He was beaten half-a-length in the Guineas and two lengths in the Derby. That's class as far as I'm concerned."

Elsworth's belief in the horse was further justified when it put in an even better performance just five days later to finish a close second in the Juddmonte Inter-national Stakes at York.

Norse Dancer, again ridden by John Egan, led the Group One £266,000 race from a furlong out until Sulamani and Frankie Dettori pipped him at the post.