Thrilling contest given Royal seal of approval
THERE was no repeat of Royal Ascot’s crowning glory, but for a few fantastic furlongs yesterday we thought there might be. Accompanied by a crescendo of hope, the Queen’s horse, Estimate, was among the leaders in the Gold Cup as she galloped level in front of the Royal Box. Would we see a repeat display of Her Majesty’s almost girlish smile of delight that marked the same filly’s win last year in this, the oldest and grandest of Royal Ascot’s races?
No, by a neck. A fabulous ride by Jospeh O’Brien on Leading Light saw to that.
But the mood among the royal throng – including Prince Harry, the Princess Royal, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie – was far from doom-laden at taking second place.
This is the eye-witness report from John Warren, the Queen’s racing manager, who last year almost touched the Queen in excitement as he lived out the closing moments of the race animatedly (send that man to the Tower!).
‘Interestingly, no one clapped last year; they all just said “well done” to the Queen,’ he said. ‘Everyone clapped this year. That said it all – there was a real buzz that she ran so well.
‘Prince Philip even said, “My goodness that was a good race”.
‘The Queen is a tremendous loser. She is a realist. She is as pleased when one of her horses has run well as when it has won. ‘That is how it felt today.’ It was certainly a very Kiplingesque treatment of those two imposters, triumph and (a very minor) disaster, by Her Majesty.
Her jockey Ryan Moore was not so phlegmatic. He fled the scene as fast as he could, with a disgruntled refusal to speak to us hacks. Before the race he had stood on the same grass on the parade ring to speak to the Queen. He had looked relaxed and she had smiled freely.
The pre-race expectation surrounding Estimate was dissipated by a muscle problem with her right hind, leaving her unable to run a preparatory outing. That gloomy news was offset by the known fact that she had the stamina for this marathon test over two and a half miles, especially i f trainer Sir Michael Stoute had conditioned her perfectly.
As Warren said before the race: ‘Last year she was still a bit gangly, tall and backward, so she might find a pound or two with maturity. If that’s the case, she might give them a run for their money.’ Both parts of the pre-race conjecture – injury setbacks versus natural aptitude – appear to have been proved correct. That is why the royals were so sanguine: Estimate had performed with guts and gallantry and beyond what could reasonably be expected of her.
The Queen’s countenance is never happier than when she is at Royal Ascot – a sacrosanct date in her diary along with the Derby, Christmas at Sandringham and summer at Balmoral.
The extent of her commitment to the Turf is that she rushed back from the 70th anniversary D-Day commemorations in France to make this year’s Derby. With a wave goodbye to President Francois Hollande, she took a plane and helicopter to be in her usual place. Here she made her way by the mor e stately Royal Procession.
She also penned a signed note to Ascot’s patrons in the programme referring to last year and saying: ‘I would like to thank those of you who were here for the wonderful welcome the filly received after performing so well, and also those who were kind enough to send messages afterwards.
‘To win at Royal Ascot is challenging and I know how much work goes into preparing every one of the many horses racing during the week. All those involved deserve great credit, as well as our gratitude.’
It was those sentiments that explained her gracious response to losing by a neck. She presented the Gold Cup to the winners, with a warm smile.