After failing to win in two starts as juvenile, Dowsing showed improved form is 1987 when he won three races including a valuable handicap at Doncaster Racecourse and the Diadem Stakes on his final appearance.
In the following year he took time to reach his best form but again ended his season triumphantly as he recorded his biggest win in the Group One Vernons Sprint Cup.
In late July he was assigned top weight of 136 pounds for the Stewards' Cup and finished fourth behind the lightly-weighted outsider Madraco.
The colt ran poorly in a Listed race at Newmarket and then finished fourth to Guest Performer in the Park Stakes over seven furlongs at Doncaster in September, appearing to run out of stamina in the closing stages.
The Irish colt Big Shuffle started favourite ahead of Handsome Sailor, Caerwent (National Stakes) and Silver Fling with Dowsing next in betting at odds of 15/2.
After being "driven along" by Eddery in the last quarter mile, Dowsing gained the advantage in the final strides and won by a head from Silver Fling with a gap of four lengths back to Caerwent in third place.