Seventy Glorious Years 

A significant milestone in British history is reached on Sunday as the Queen becomes the country's first monarch to reign for 70 years. Throughout that time, Her Majesty has remained a fervent supporter of the Turf. In the first of a three-part series, John Berry looks back at the Queen's strong ties to horseracing.

Racing, the king of sports, has been the sport of kings and queens since the dawn of time. In Great Britain, the monarch's love of the sport can be traced back at least 500 years to the passion which the Stuart kings brought to Newmarket and thus established the town and its Heath as the centre of the racing world. King Charles II famously rode in races on the Heath, while the following century Queen Anne's love of the sport resulted in a racecourse being founded on Ascot Heath in 1711, a short carriage-ride from Windsor Castle. Racegoers at Royal Ascot are reminded of her creation every year when the meeting starts with the G1 Queen Anne S.

No monarch, though, has given a greater commitment to the sport over a longer period than Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, whose 70 years on the throne represent seven decades as the greatest, most passionate, unwavering and knowledgeable patron any sport could ever have.

Queen Elizabeth II has followed perfectly in the footsteps of her great-grandfather King Edward VII. He, though, only spent a relatively short time (nine years) on the throne, having already reached the age of 59 by the time that his mother Queen Victoria passed away on Jan. 22, 1901, aged 81. She remained famously unamused by the sport, but he was as passionate as she was uninterested. Many of his greatest years as an owner (including 1896 when the homebred Persimmon landed the Derby and St Leger; 1897 when Persimmon won the Gold Cup and the Eclipse S.; and 1900 when he raced not only his homebred Triple Crown winner Diamond Jubilee but also the Grand National winner Ambush II) came while he was still Prince of Wales, but he remained an equally enthusiastic and successful patron of the sport after ascending to the throne. Most notably, he won the Derby for a third time when Minoru took the great race in 1909, the first time that the Derby winner had been owned by the monarch.

King Edward VII's focus on racing remained steadfast to the very end. His dying words, on May 6, 1910, came after his son, who was about to become King George V, had informed him of the victory that afternoon of his horse Witch Of The Air in the 4.15 at Kempton Park: “Yes, I have heard of it.  I am very glad.”

Arguably King Edward VII's most significant act as regards the development of the royal racing enterprise was to create a stud at Sandringham in Norfolk in 1886. A stream of royal winners started to flow from Sandringham Stud almost immediately, and they still do to this day.

King George V had inherited his father's passion for the sport and he in turn passed it on to his sons. He also did plenty to light the flame in the heart of his young grand-daughter, the future Queen Elizabeth II. In the spring of 1928 he became the first monarch to win the 1000 Guineas as both owner and breeder with the victory of Scuttle, trained by William Jarvis in the royal stables at Egerton House on the western edge of Newmarket Heath. That evening he wrote in his diary, “I am very proud to win my first Classic and that I bred her at Sandringham”. He later enthralled his favourite grand-daughter with the tale of how the filly, ridden by Joe Childs, played up at the barrier and dwelt as the tapes went up but ultimately came off best at the end of a thrilling duel with Gordon Richards' mount Jurisdiction.

King George V's elder son, the future King Edward VIII, while Prince of Wales threw himself into the sport with such enthusiasm that questions were asked in Parliament by disapproving MPs about whether it was satisfactory that the future king was risking his neck riding in races and point-to-points. Once he had become the monarch, though, King Edward VIII became more famous for triggering constitutional debates on considerably more serious subjects, the upshot of which was his abdication in favour of his younger brother, who thus became King George VI, on Dec. 11, 1936.

King George VI, the father of our current monarch, thus was not born to be the king, but had the crown unexpectedly thrust upon him. He did not let this abrupt and unexpected turn of events interfere with his love of racing. Far from it: the royal colours flourished while in his possession, as is confirmed by the famous photograph of him, wearing his military uniform, leading Sun Chariot into the winner's enclosure at Newmarket's July Course after her triumph in the wartime substitute Oaks in 1942. She had previously won the 1000 Guineas and subsequently completed the Triple Crown by taking the St Leger. Furthermore, Big Game took that year's 2000 Guineas, giving the King victory in four of the five Classics. After the end of the war, he won the 1000 Guineas again when Hypericum scored in 1946, with Princess Elizabeth present to welcome the daughter of Hyperion back to scale.

The elder of King George VI's two daughters, Queen Elizabeth II was aged only 25 when her father died on Feb. 6, 1952. Thus began the longest and arguably most successful reign in British history, a reign during which, leading by example, she has steered the country through the enormous changes which society has undergone since the Second World War. It has also been a reign in which her never-diminishing love of racing has seen the sport immeasurably enriched by the passion of its greatest patron.

As regards her father, from a racing man's point of view he could have had no better epitaph than that which appeared in Cope's Royal Cavalcade of the Turf, published in 1953. King George VI's last top-class horse had been Hypericum's Straight Deal half-sister Above Board, who enjoyed a splendid season in 1950, winning the Yorkshire Oaks, Park Hill S. and Cesarewitch H. Reflecting on that magnificent six-length Cesarewitch triumph, Alfred Cope wrote, “With the cheers for that splendid Royal victory ringing in our ears, it is perhaps a suitable moment to take our leave of a King who, of all the Kings and Queens of the Turf, will be remembered in years to come as one who, by his example, raised the Crown to undreamed-of popularity and respect, while his Turf career brought back to not a few of the older generation some trace of those golden hours they had known when Edward VII was King.”

Having become Queen aged 25 on the death of her father in 1952, Queen Elizabeth II was not crowned until the following year when a splendid ceremony was held in Westminster Abbey–a ceremony which the world was able to enjoy as it was the first coronation to be televised. That, though, was not The Queen's only major event that week. Fittingly, the sport of kings loomed large in her consciousness even during that momentous period. The Coronation took place on Tuesday, June 2 and when the Derby was run four days later she had the thrill of owning one of the leading chances: the Hyperion colt Aureole, a close relative of Hypericum, who had won the Lingfield Derby Trial the previous month.

Queen Elizabeth II had taken over ownership of the royal string on the death of her father the previous year. She had previously owned one Flat winner: Astrakhan, who had been given to her as a wedding present by the Aga Khan III in 1947 and who won a maiden race at Hurst Park in her own colours of 'scarlet, purple hooped sleeves, black cap'. Her first winner as Queen was the 3-year-old Hyperion colt Choir Boy at Newmarket in the spring of 1952, but he did not race that day in the royal livery: while the court was in mourning it was decided that any royal runners carry the colours of the Duke of Norfolk. The period of mourning had finished by the time that the Lancashire Oaks was run at Manchester, and the victory in that race by Stream Of Light provided the Queen with her first success with the royal colours. Her best horse in 1952, though, was the 2-year-old Aureole, who made a winning debut in the Acomb S. at York's Ebor Meeting before finishing unplaced in the Middle Park S. at Newmarket in the autumn.

Aureole's second place in the 1953 Derby behind Pinza (whose jockey Gordon Richards had just been awarded a knighthood in the Coronation honours) was wonderful. The magical spell continued at Royal Ascot where Choir Boy, who had had to miss the remainder of the previous season after splitting a pastern, completed a great comeback from injury by taking the Royal Hunt Cup. Another special event that week came when the Queen appointed her trainer Cecil Boyd-Rochfort a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, investing him at Ascot. A further thrill came in the autumn when Aureole took the Cumberland Lodge S. at Ascot.

The first foal of Hypericum's Donatello half-sister Angelola (who had won the Lingfield Oaks Trial, Yorkshire Oaks and Newmarket Oaks in 1948 for King George VI and finished second in the Oaks), Aureole did even better at four. In the summer of 1954 he won three feature races: at Epsom in the Coronation Cup, at Royal Ascot in the Hardwicke S. and at Ascot in the race named after The Queen's parents, the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth S. At Royal Ascot he was part of a double for The Queen on the final day of the meeting, with the impeccably-bred Landau (who was by the 1945 Derby winner Dante from Sun Chariot) taking the Rous Memorial S. under Gordon Richards. Later in the summer Landau, who was leased from the National Stud as his dam had been, won the Sussex S. at Goodwood.

At the end of the year, The Queen became champion owner for the first time, with a prize-money total of £40,993 (three quarters of which was won by Aureole) from her 19 wins. Second place, with roughly £1,000 less, was taken by Sterling Clark, whose 25 wins included the Derby triumph of Never Say Die, the first Kentucky-bred to win the greatest race of all. The Queen thus emulated the achievement of her great-grandfather King Edward VII who (while Prince of Wales) had been champion owner in 1900 and of her father King George VI, who had been champion owner in 1942.

Tomorrow: A second championship and a first homebred Classic winner

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Top-Rated Palace Pier Earns Breeders’ Cup Berth With Queen Anne Victory

The world's top-rated racehorse Palace Pier followed up his St James's Palace Stakes win from 2020 with victory in the opening contest of this year's Royal Ascot, the G1 Queen Anne Stakes over a mile. The win earned Palace Pier an expenses-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Mile this fall at Del Mar in California.

Sent off a red-hot 2/7 favorite under Royal Ascot's most prolific current jockey Frankie Dettori, the 4-year-old was pushed out for a comfortable length and a half success over Lope Y Fernandez (12/1), with Sir Busker (22/1) another length back in third.

Last year's G1 victory over the round mile was played out in front of empty grandstands, but today 12,000 spectators were able to enjoy a classy performance from Palace Pier. This victory was a 74th at the meeting for the rider, and a first for John Gosden in a training partnership with his son Thady.

A relieved John Gosden said: “It was a slowly run race over a straight mile and he's a very relaxed horse — you saw how he cantered down, he hack cantered down.

“I think we were very aware that there was no pace in the race. Frankie said, 'I'm drawn where I am so I'll stay on the wing' because we suspected a slow pace, which is what we got – a slow pace and a slow time – but then, don't sit out the back when they kick, with two and a half, three to run. He has done it really smoothly; he has come through, won his race, and is exactly like his father [Kingman], as soon as he gets there, he has done enough. And if I worked him at home with a very ordinary horse, he'd just stay with them – that's his game.

“If you are odds-on like that, it would be a bit odd if you weren't nervous, because your only thing round the corner is a banana skin, so it can happen. He had a normal blow afterwards – he has done more in his work at home than he did today. I've been second in this race three times – it took [son] Thady to get me over the line!

“It's wonderful – those people who have come and had a test, it's fantastic and there's a gorgeous atmosphere because it's not crowded, it's very comfortable, and it's a gorgeous day. To that extent, full marks to people who made the effort.

“Palace Pier's options are the Sussex Stakes, the Jacques le Marois in Deauville, which he won last year. And obviously you can step him up a trip if you wanted to, for the Juddmonte International, something like that. He is a grand horse, great attitude, good looking, nice scope.”

Dettori said: “Wow, wow. What can I say? He has shown again that he is the best miler around.

“You can rely on Palace Pier. It is like getting one of the proper guys to take the first penalty and they will put it in the back of the net.

“He is one of the best horses in the world and everything went right. 31 years ago I rode my first Royal Ascot winner on Markofdistinction in the Queen Anne. A lot of water has gone under the bridge since then.

“I am still getting the same kick and I am pretty relieved that everything went smooth. It makes a big difference [to have an early Royal Ascot winner]. I have a lot of big rides this week and it takes the pressure off.

“Palace Pier is the best miler around the world. He goes on any ground, he is very kind, does what you ask him to do. He comes from behind, can be up there and he is a great partner to have in these races. It's not just me, he should take the credit.

“You cannot imagine to see the colors, the people screaming. It is a mirage – I'm so pleased to have the crowd back. It's great. What can you say? Royal Ascot with people is amazing and this meeting is a big part of my life. I couldn't ask for anything more.”

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Win And You’re In: Palace Pier, Order Of Australia Headline Tuesday’s Queen Anne At Royal Ascot

Palace Pier (GB), one of the world's top milers, and Order of Australia (IRE), the reigning FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) winner, headline Tuesday's US$563,000 Queen Anne Stakes (G1) in the opening race of the Royal Ascot meeting at Ascot Racecourse. The winner of the Queen Anne will secure an automatic berth into this year's US$2million FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 84 stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will be held at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California on Nov. 5-6.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the Queen Anne winner to start in the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile, which will be run over the Del Mar turf course. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance of US$40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the Championships' pre-entry deadline of October 25 to receive the rewards.

The Queen Anne, run over a straight mile, is the first of four Breeders' Cup Challenge “Win and You're In” races to be conducted during the Royal Ascot meeting. The race will be televised live on NBCSN and TVG.

First run in 1840, the Queen Anne Stakes is named for the monarch who established racing at Ascot in 1711.

Palace Pier, owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed al Maktoum and trained by father and son John and Thady Gosden, has won seven times in eight starts, including last year's St. James's Palace (G1) at Royal Ascot and the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois (G1) at Deauville. A 4-year-old son of Kingman (GB), Palace Pier has won both his starts in 2021, taking the 1-mile bet360 at Sandown on April 23 by 8 lengths, and the 1-mile Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes (G1) at Newberry on May 15 by 1 ½ lengths. His only defeat came in last October's Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1) at Ascot, when he finished third over soft ground.

“He is a lovely horse who has done everything right in his life,” said John Gosden. “He only missed the autumn of his 2-year-old career. He prepped in a Newcastle race last year and came out and won the St. James's Palace Stakes (G1). He did everything right last year until the end when he ran on very soft autumn ground (in the Queen Elizabeth II). He hated that, lost a shoe and got left.”

“He's come back well this year. He did handle that ground (good to soft) in the Lockinge and I've got to be clear that maybe a horse like Lope Y Fernandez did not. Back now on summer ground I think you will see a lot more horses come into play that maybe weren't happy on the ground.”

Frankie Dettori, who leads all jockeys with six Queen Anne wins, has the mount aboard Palace Pier.

Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magner, Michael Tabor and Mrs. A.M. O'Brien's Order of Australia came off the also-eligible list and won last November's FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile at 73-1 at Keeneland. Order of Australia was the first of three Aidan O'Brien-trained runners across the wire, with Circus Maximus (IRE) a neck behind in second and Lope Y Fernandez (IRE) finishing third. A 4-year-old son of Australia (GB), Order of Australia will be making his first start since finishing sixth in last December's Longines Hong Kong Mile (G1) at Sha Tin.

Lope Y Fernandez, a 4-year-old son of Lope De Vega (IRE), started the year well by winning the listed 1-mile Heritage Stakes at Leopardstown on April 14. He went off as the 5-1 second choice in the Lockinge but was caught behind horses with a furlong remaining and wound up eighth.

The 8-year-old Lord Glitters (FR), who won the 2019 Queen Anne Stakes at 14-1, is also coming out of the Lockinge, where the roan/gray son of Whipper finished fourth. Trained by David O'Meara and ridden by Daniel Tudhope, Lord Glitters has won nine races, including two 1 1/8-mile scores at Meydan this year in the Jebel Hatta on March 6 and in the Singspiel Stakes on Jan 21. He also finished sixth in the Dubai Turf (G1) at Meydan on March 27.

“He ran fine in the Lockinge,” said O'Meara. “There were a few younger horses ahead of him and Palace Pier looked unbeatable, but Lord Glitters likes the straight track at Ascot so hopefully he runs his race again. He is better at Ascot than at Newbury.”

Saeed Manana's 5-year-old Top Rank (IRE) finished third in the Lockinge. Trained by James Tate, Top Rank, a gray son of Dark Angel, has won six of nine starts, and has a victory this year in the listed Unibet Doncaster Mile on March 27. Last September, he won the Betfair Superior Mile Stakes (G3) at Haydock. Top Rank will be ridden by P.J. McDonald.

Also entered is the Mrs. R.F. Johnson Houghton's 7-year-old gelding Accidental Agent (GB), who won the 2018 Queen Anne Stakes. Trained by Eve Johnson Houghton and ridden by Charles Bishop, Accidental Agent finished fourth in last year's race.

In addition to the Queen Anne, there will be three other Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races at the Royal meeting: The Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1), held on Wednesday, June 16, will award the winner a free berth into US$4 million Longines Breeders Cup Turf (G1); the Norfolk Stakes (G2), which will be run on Thursday, June 17, offers a “Win and You're In” starting position into US$1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2); and the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (G1) on Saturday, June 19, which gives the winner an automatic berth into the US$1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1).

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Royal Ascot Day One: Circus Maximus Takes Queen Anne Thriller

The 2020 Royal Ascot meeting kicked off on Tuesday afternoon, run without spectators due to the ongoing effects of the global coronavirus pandemic.

Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore captured the first Group 1 of the five-day meeting in a thriller when Circus Maximus edged the John Gosden-trained Terebellum at the line to win the Queen Anne Stakes.

It looked as if Frankie Dettori would once again be centre stage at Royal Ascot as he coaxed Terebellum to the front around a furlong and a half out. However, Circus Maximus's stamina edge came into play 50 yards out as he dived past the Godolphin filly to win by a nose.

The Queen Anne was Moore's 59th win at Royal Ascot, and the second for the 4-year-old son of Galileo, who won the G1 St. James's Palace Stakes last June. The win also gave O'Brien his 150th Group 1 victory in the U.K.

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