Her Majesty The Queen | Horse Racing Free Tips

Jockeys’ Guard Of Honour For The Queen On Derby Day

As part of the official Platinum Jubilee celebrations in Britain, Her Majesty The Queen will be given a guard of honour of 40 retired and current jockeys on her arrival at Epsom on Cazoo Derby Day.

The Derby meeting on June 3 and 4 falls within an extended bank holiday weekend which will feature countrywide celebrations to mark the Queen's 70th anniversary on the throne. Epsom Downs Racecourse will further honour the occasion by renaming the Queen's Stand as The Queen Elizabeth II Stand.

The Derby is the only one of the five British Classics which has not been won by The Queen. In 1977, the year of her Silver Jubilee, she won the Oaks and the St Leger with Dunfermline (GB) (Royal Palace {GB}). That filly's jockey Willie Carson, now 79 and himself a Classic-winning breeder, will be among the guard of honour on Derby day.

He said, “[The Queen] is the patron of racing. Without her we would be a little bit lost, because her patronage is a very valuable thing.

“It's not just the horseracing she enjoys, she enjoys the breeding side of it. She likes to know from trainers how the horse is behaving and its attitude, its temperament. She wants to know those things. That's what she's really interested in. The winning post is the end result and she enjoys that, of course, but she enjoys everything before you get to the winning post. That gives her the most pleasure.”

The Queen last had a runner in the Derby in 2011 when Carlton House finished third to Pour Moi (Ire). She has three homebreds remaining among the entries for this year's race–the G3 Solario S. winner Reach For The Moon (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), last week's Newmarket winner Educator (GB) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), and General Idea (GB) (Galileo {Ire}). A reigning monarch has won the Derby only once, when Minoru (Ire) triumphed in 1909 for King Edward VII.

Phil White, London regional director of The Jockey Club, said, “We are absolutely delighted that this year's Cazoo Derby will be a part of the official Platinum Jubilee celebrations and excited and proud to be able to take the opportunity to thank Her Majesty The Queen for her enormous contribution to horseracing over many, many years.”

He continued, “We know that The Queen intends to be with us on the day and to mark her arrival at the racecourse we will form a guard of honour of around 40 retired and current jockeys all dressed in Her Majesty's silks. We're also inviting members of the local community and some local charities to support the guard of honour as flag-bearers.

“Derby Day always has that spectacular carnival atmosphere and we're looking forward to a display from the Red Devils and a military band's performance of the National Anthem which will all add to a wonderful occasion.”

Included among the guard of honour will be Derby-winning jockeys Ryan Moore, Frankie Dettori and John Reid, as well as Hayley Turner, who has ridden regularly in the Queen's silks.

The post Jockeys’ Guard Of Honour For The Queen On Derby Day appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Stradivarius and ‘Moon’ To Return At York

High-class stayer Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and G1 Cazoo Derby hopeful Reach For The Moon (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) will both be in action at York in mid-May, co-trainer John Gosden revealed. The former holds an entry in the G2 Paddy Power Yorkshire Cup S. on May 13. After winning the G2 Doncaster Cup S. in September, the Bjorn Nielsen-owned chestnut ran second in the G1 Prix du Cadran at ParisLongchamp a month later, and finished his season with a third in the G2 British Champions Long Distance Cup. Her Majesty The Queen's Reach For The Moon is a winner of the G3 Solario S. at Sandown on Aug. 21, and he was a good second in the G2 Champagne S. at Doncaster on Sept. 11. His next engagement will be the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. at York on May 12.

John Gosden said, “They are all fine. Stradivarius will go to York. Both of them will be pointing towards York. Stradivarius for the Yorkshire Cup and Reach For The Moon to the Dante. They are going all right at this stage. It is early days.”

The post Stradivarius and ‘Moon’ To Return At York appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Reach For The Moon Bound For A Derby Trial

The consistent Reach For The Moon (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) will reappear in a mid-May trial for the G1 Cazoo Derby in June, according to co-trainer John Gosden. A runner in the colours of Her Majesty The Queen, the bay ran second in his first two starts, including in a Royal Ascot listed affair in June. He broke his maiden at third asking in a novice stakes at Newbury going seven furlongs on July 16 and added the G3 Solario S. at Sandown by four lengths on Aug. 21. Reach For The Moon signed off his juvenile season with a narrow second in the G2 Champagne S. at Doncaster on Sept. 11.

Gosden, who trains with his son Thady, told ITV Racing, “He's coming back, but it's a slow process and whether it all comes too soon, we'll know more in three weeks really. The key thing is by the middle of May he is running in a trial and time will be of the essence.

“At the moment he's moving along well, but you know, when you get an interruption like that and he went back home, then came back to us, it's not the ideal flow through the autumn, winter and spring, that's for certain.”

Reflecting on the potential of fielding a Derby runner for The Queen during her Platinum Jubilee year, Gosden added, “You do what's right by the horse and that is what we will do no matter what anyone thinks, and that is what the owner would want.”

The Queen has won every British Classic barring the Blue Riband.

The post Reach For The Moon Bound For A Derby Trial appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

UK Racecourses To Plant Over 700 Trees For Queen’s Green Canopy

British racecourses are doing their part in the Queen's Green Canopy initiative with the goal of planting more than 700 trees by the end of 2022.

The Queen's Green Canopy, which marks her Platinum Jubilee, invites people from across the UK to “Plant a Tree for the Jubilee”. A total of 23 British racecourses have confirmed their participation, with the official tree-planting season taking place between October and March, and then beginning again in October through to the end of the Jubilee year.

Ascot Racecourse and the Crown Estate jointly planted 70 oak trees adjacent to the Royal Procession route along Duke's Lane in Windsor Great Park on Tuesday. Each tree will be dedicated to one of 70 local schools on May 10th, one for each year of Her Majesty's reign.

Her Majesty's Representative and Chairman at Ascot, Sir Francis Brooke, Bt, said of the project and the racing industry's contribution, “It is fantastic that the racing family has come together in such numbers to be part of this very worthwhile initiative. The last of our 70 trees were planted this morning, at a location in Windsor Great Park on the route of the Royal Procession. We are much looking forward to welcoming the schools in May for what will be a very special day.”

The Jockey Club will be planting more than 500 trees this year as part of the project across their 15 racecourses and three training grounds. Cheltenham, Epsom Downs, Aintree and Sandown Park are amongst the courses to be planting trees to commemorate the event across The Jockey Club's sites, who have been working with local experts to ensure the trees to be planted are both local and sustainable with the individual climates of each racecourse or location.

The Jockey Club's Chief Executive, Nevin Truesdale said, “We are thrilled to be playing our part in The Queen's Green Canopy initiative to mark the Platinum Jubilee of our Patron, Her Majesty The Queen.

“We will be planting trees right across our racecourses and training grounds and our teams have been working hard to ensure the projects we are undertaking will enhance their surroundings for years to come.

“In doing so we hope they will reflect the extraordinary and long-lasting contribution The Queen has made to our sport and the country more widely.”

The post UK Racecourses To Plant Over 700 Trees For Queen’s Green Canopy appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post