Horse racing loses its greatest supporter Queen Elizabeth
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (left) and Britain's Princess Anne, Princess Royal, arrive by horse-drawn carriage to attend day three of the Royal Ascot horse racing meet, in Ascot, west of London, on June 20, 2019.
Her Majesty the Queen, superseded all previous monarchs, ever been involved in horse racing. Her enthusiasm, knowledge, professionalism, and total love of the game, were unparalleled.
Champion owner twice and winner of every British Classic except the Derby, at least her runner-up Aureole, bagged King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (centre) reacts as she meets jockey Frankie Dettori (right) with racing manager John Warren (L) on the fifth day of the Royal Ascot horse racing meet, in Ascot, west of London on June 19, 2021.
Also, dual Classic-winning fillies Highclere and Dunfermline trumped in the Oaks and St Leger during the Silver Jubilee year. The Queen's other outstanding winners included Carrozza (Oaks), Pall Mall (2,000 Guineas) and Estimate (Ascot Gold Cup).
Duty bound by protocol, never deterred her from attending Epsom, and Royal Ascot. She derived immense pleasure from spending time with thoroughbreds, not only at meetings but on the gallops and at studs.
With a natural eye for a horse, recognizing each one of them, she relished visiting studs, especially Coolmore.
At an early young age, grandfather King George V, mesmerized her when relating how his filly, Scuttle, had won the 1928 1,000 Guineas.
By16, she visited Fred Darling's Beckhampton stables with her parents to watch those champions' work. It was such an honour to run her hand over stable star, Big Game, that she did not wash for several hours.
When she married Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh in 1947, her wedding present from the Aga Khan was a filly foal, Astrakhan, trained by Willie Smyth. Lord Mildmay encouraged the princess and her mother to buy a jumper, and they went half-shares in Monaveen, trained by Peter Cazalet.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (left) watches as Italian jockey Frankie Dettori (second right) kisses the trophy during the presentation after he won the Gold Cup on horse Stradivarius, his fourth win of the day, on day three of the Royal Ascot horse racing meet, in Ascot, west of London, on June 20, 2019. PHOTO | ADRIAN DENNIS | AFP
Astrakhan and Monaveen both made their debuts in the princess's colours with Monaveen scoring over fences at Fontwell to become her first striker. Monaveen won Queen Elizabeth Chase at Hurst Park that December and came fifth to Freebooter in the 1950 Grand National, but later broke a leg.
King George VI died in February 1952, while the new queen was at Tree Tops in Kenya. She announced that she would still breed and race on the same graph. This meant having her home-breds in training with Cecil Boyd-Rochfort at Newmarket, and the rest with Noel Murless.
At Epsom when Aureole came second, beaten four lengths by a great champion in Pinza, ridden by the newly knighted Sir Gordon Richards, it was not a disappointment. The Queen accepted any and everything. In King George at Ascot, he was again second to Pinza, this time by three lengths.
He refused to settle when third in St Leger, then won the Cumberland Lodge Stakes. This spate did not last long. As a four-year-old Aureole was ridden by Eph Smith because the highly strung colt went better for him than for stable jockey Harry Carr. He proved himself the greatest older horse in Europe - Coronation Cup, Hardwicke Stakes, and King George, easy streets. Aureole lifted the Queen to become a champion owner in 1954, although Landau and Corporal also contributed to her prize-money haul.
A handout picture supplied by the JSC Communications on October 17, 2019, shows Sheikh Fahad Al Thani (2nd R) smiling in the winners enclosure with Roaring Lion, after his victory in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes during QIPCO Champions Day at Ascot on October 20, 2018.
This gives readers an insight into how formidable the Queen was entrenched in the Sport.
Dunfermline became the only horse ever to beat subsequent dual Arc winner Alleged, and it was perhaps the best single performance by any of her horses – surpassing Aureole's victory in King George and Pall Mall's second place in the Royal Hunt Cup.
Three weeks later Dunfermline finished fourth to Alleged over the shorter trip of the Arc.
Dick Hern famously became the Royal trainer, but in 1984, he was paralysed in a hunting fall, later undergoing cardiac surgery. In August, amid concerns about his ability to continue training, his wife Sheilah was told by Lord Carnarvon that his West Ilsley lease would not be renewed, although he was later informed that he could continue to live there indefinitely.
His dismissal was not made public until March 1989, when an official announcement stated that the Queen had appointed as his replacement William Hastings-Bass. We should all have the right to make a decision, although it was not met favourably.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (left) watches as horse are walked around the parade ring on the fifth day of the Royal Ascot horse racing meet, in Ascot, west of London on June 19, 2021.
The story is endless. The main point being, that the Queen, was at her best where horses were concerned. They brought oomph into her very core. Needless to say, she was an accomplished rider as well. As an extremely very brave lady, she never wore a hat - just a scarf.
Notoriously remembered for her colourful attire, the Queen will be missed internationally in every regard. Her life was a testament to dignity, integrity, loyalty, and family. Never judgmental. A flawless character, deeply in love with her late husband. Nothing seemingly bothered her, except obvious sadness.
With God's grace, Her majesty lived the perfect life, right up to her last two appointments with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Liss Truss. How lucky were they to have that memory at Balmoral in Scotland. She passed away peacefully thereafter, surrounded by family, leaving an irreplaceable void.
