Aquarians pride themselves on standing out from the crowd and doing things in their own way. BBC sports presenter Clare Balding (January 29 1971) is no exception, carving out a highly professional niche in what is still predominantly a man's world, taking on everything from racing to rugby.

The cool Aquarian style is well suited to live broadcasting, and her interviewing talent is smoothed along by a deceptively tolerant and easy-going Pisces Moon. But none of this accounts for her being the BBC's rising star - the big impact comes from her bundle of four planets roaring along in racy, enthusiastic Sagittarius. The Sagittarian archer, half-man, half-horse, dominates her whole horoscope, with its insatiable curiosity, honesty and a mental energy that never flags. The Archer also has a reputation for sport,

" Sagittarians are almost all keen sportsmen of one kind or another... and show a predilection for outdoor work ... they are connected with the training and exercise of horses and dogs ... (they) fairly revel in the open air, and cannot endure the stale atmosphere of stuffy rooms, glorying in the breezy uplands and snow-clad peaks". (Isabelle Pagan, From Pioneer To Poet).

Amongst the planets in this sign is a close conjunction of lucky Jupiter with Neptune, the old god of horses. This charismatic planet comes into prominence next year, enhancing her celebrity status, and she is likely to wow the punters and continue to increase her position as the Beeb's golden girl.

So despite being part of the recent dismal offering of Michael Jordan's NBA comeback game, the BBC is certainly her buggy. Every single one of her four Sagittarian planets connects closely to the Incorporation horoscope (January 1 1927, 0am), and to its first TV broadcast horoscope (November 1936, 3pm). The best connection of all is her seductive Venus exactly on the BBC's Mercury, planet of communication, and on its TV Jupiter, so the big plans which the Corporation undoubtedly has for her will do them a lot of good. She should know how to push up the female audience, too, and these Olympian connections suggest international influence and sporty popularity on the world stage.

Balding must also have a good sense of the public service ethos, making her an ideal Corporation woman, far beyond her grafting away as a presenter. She may take diverse paths for a while, but she'll be back at the BBC big-time, and the moves that count on her race to the top are likely to be seen in 2007. Place your bets now.