Magic! Merlin, 3, cheers Ascot from pony in living room
Queen sees her horse romp home on TV
For most, this was one Ascot they’ve had to sit out.
But three-year- old Merlin Coles joined in the fun – and watched the races while riding his pony, Mr Glitter Sparkles, in his living room.
His pet dog Mistress got on too as Merlin, wearing jockey’s attire, followed the races on television from his manor house in Bere regis, Dorset, on the second day of Ascot yesterday.
Merlin is already ‘ jumping bales of woodchip in the field at home’, said his mother Callie, 33, whose Instagram diary of life as a hunt master’s wife has amassed more than 23,000 followers.
Her husband Toby, 34, is an artist and master of the South Dorset Hunt. The pony, who is also known as Sparky, has been allowed in the family’s house since he escaped his stable and banged on the boot room door one day and they let him in.
And it wasn’t just Merlin who dressed up for the occasion, as celebrities across the country donned their glad rags as if they were enjoying a day out at the fashionable event. Television presenter Lizzie Cundy posted a photo of herself in far-from-traditional attire: Sheer lace lingerie, red heels and a red feather hat with a matching clutch bag – and a glass of bubbly in hand.
The 52-year-old cheekily captioned her Instagram snap: ‘And they’re off...!! You can leave your hat on! Doing this year’s Ascot from home...’
The Queen was on to a winner at royal Ascot yesterday as her horse Tactical romped to victory.
The win by the two-year-old – with odds of 7-2 – netted Her Majesty £23,680 in prize money and marked her 24th win overall at the race meet.
The Queen is not at Ascot for the first time in her 68-year reign – but is watching it from Windsor Castle. royal sources said the Queen’s win was ‘very welcome’.
THE QUEEN has had to miss Royal Ascot for the first time in her 68-year reign but the unique staging of the 2020 meeting will still hold fond memories after Tactical carried her colours to victory.
Appropriately, as she is having to watch the action unfold on television at Windsor Castle, James Doyle rode her horse to win the Windsor Castle Stakes by
an authoritative length and a quarter from Yazaman. Trainer Andrew Balding said he had informed the Queen of his high hopes for the colt in a telephone call yesterday morning.
Whether a footman was dispatched to the nearest Windsor betting shop is unknown but Tactical was backed from 7-1 to 7-2 favourite.
Having also seen her colt First Receiver narrowly beaten under Frankie Dettori by Russian Emperor in the Hampton Court Stakes, Her Majesty’s racing manager John Warren said that the greatest pleasure the Queen would glean would be from the fact that she also bred Tactical, a son of Toronado out of royal mare Make Fast.
It was her 24th Royal Ascot winner and first since Dartmouth won the 2016 Hardwicke Stakes. Warren said that would dispel any frustration over not being able to attend because of the Covid-19 protocols.
Warren said: ‘The Queen does not get frustrated lightly. She takes everything in her stride and is pragmatic. It is just the way it had to be this year.
‘I suspect deep down there was a tinge of disappointment she was not there but it was completely overridden by the fact she had a winner and was proud of breeding it, as well as being delighted for James Doyle, Andrew Balding and the whole team.
‘She probably got a warm inner feeling from pulling this one off. ‘In the last two days she has been able to spend a little bit of time watching the most important races. So this was icing on the cake to have a winner. Every day of her life, the Queen follows racing, one way or another when she can. She would have read the Racing Post in great detail and built up to this week knowing very well the important fancied horses.
‘She studies it in the mornings and dedicates half an hour or so every day. ‘She is very well tuned in and when she watches the racing she is fully up to date with the horses’ backgrounds, who trains and is riding them and the way they are bred because that is her great passion.
‘The Queen follows every horse she breeds — she even watches them being born on the iPad if it is at the right time of the evening. So breeding a Royal Ascot winner and following it through all its issues and humps and bumps in the road, will give her special enjoyment.’ For Balding it was another magic moment to his start of the delayed season following his win with Kameko in the 2,000 Guineas.
Balding said that Tactical had always shown signs he could make an early impact in his career. After he had finished third to Eye of Heaven — who runs in tomorrow’s Norfolk Stakes — on his debut at Newmarket, the decision was taken to aim at the five-furlong Windsor Castle Stakes.
Balding said: ‘We thought Tactical had learnt a lot and would be a bit sharper. That very much proved to be the case. But he still had to get the job done. I think he will be better over six furlongs.’ Races like the Richmond Stakes at Glorious Goodwood and the Prix Robert Papin in France could now be on Tactical’s agenda.
Meanwhile, a decision on whether the Queen’s First Receiver will run in next month’s Investec Derby will be debated in the next few days.
The Sir Michael Stoute-trained son of New Approach looked like making a successful step up into Group Three company when mastering Berlin Tango half a furlong out.
But he was cut down by Russian Emperor, who became the 60th royal meeting winner for jockey Ryan Moore, and beaten half a length. Coral cut Russian Emperor to 8-1 for the Derby on July 4 while First Receiver is a 16-1 chance.
Dettori said: ‘First Receiver ran a bit fresh but he ran a super race.’
Warren added: ‘It’s a shame he found a better one on the day but we are pleased that the Queen has a nice horse. ‘We have to get our heads around the big question. It’s a debate we will have in the forthcoming days.’