Queen was British horse racing’s greatest patron
Throughout her 70 years on the throne, her fascination and love of horses never wavered
A rider from early childhood through to her 10th decade, the Queen's love of horses - and fascination with the thoroughbred and racing - never wavered.
It began early. When asked what she’d like to be when she grew up, in a 1945 edition of Life magazine, the young Princess Elizabeth quipped ‘I should like to be a horse’.
Her destiny took her down a rather different path and, while duty came first of course, she remained a keen rider, owner, and breeder, and a regular at British horse racing events, including Royal Ascot, the Epsom Derby and the Grand National.
In fact, she rarely missed either
Royal Ascot or the Derby. State visits, commemorations, COVID restrictions and ill-health only prevented her from being at Epsom for the Derby on five occasions during her 70-year reign.
Her presence at a racecourse, or the sight of the famous red, purple and gold Royal silks always added a frisson of excitement to a racing occasion. Crowds would pack around the paddock at Royal Ascot to greet her daily arrival at the event.
Sir Michael Stoute, who trained more than 100 winners for The Queen, said of her relationship with racing: “The racing fans adore her and love seeing her at the races. If she has a winner, the excitement is euphoric. Everybody is thrilled for her, and she’s also thrilled.”
Just like all racehorse owners, she experienced the highs and lows of the sport throughout her reign. Just four days after her coronation in 1952, she was present to see her horse, Oriel run second at the Derby at Epsom. A couple of years later she became champion owner (1954) and repeated the feat again in 1957, when she had 30 winners. Form in racing can be fleeting however, and by the start of the century, Royal winners were down to single figures before a late renaissance in the latter years of her life.
Her most successful year came in 2021 when 39 jockeys wore the Royal silks to victory. Two years prior to that she celebrated 36 winners.
However, perhaps her greatest triumph came in 2013, when she was present to see Estimate win the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. In doing so she became the first reigning monarch to win the event and her radiant smile as they crossed the finish post was one of the abiding images of that year’s event.
In all she had 1,093 winners (correct as of September 14) with 1,022 coming in flat races. Her 1,000 flat race winner was ridden by King’s Lynn at Doncaster on November 6, 2021.
First and foremost, her duty was to the people of this country and the Commonwealth, and she devoted her more than 70 years to our service. However, it’s clear she was also devoted to horses and hugely knowledgeable about all aspects of racing. She knew what it meant to all those involved, from the breeding ground to the track, and she had an amazing ability to recall horses, jockeys, race results and pedigrees.
It gave her a huge amount of credibility and respect from all those involved in the sport, and she’s had races named in her honour across the globe.
Like in her own life, there were highs and lows for the Queen in horse racing, but – as with her duty – she was a constant for the sport and will be sadly missed. It's therefore apt that on the day of her funeral, Emma, one of the Queen’s favourite black fell ponies, was there to greet the late monarch’s coffin as it was brought back to Windsor Castle. Welcome home ma'am.