'It was a huge privilege to put the colours on and ride in them, never mind win'

For all her five victories in Classics and numerous other big successes, landing any race for the Queen was a thrill for a jockey and David Griffiths described his win in the royal colours as "a massive highlight" of his career.

It was more than 28 years ago that he won an apprentice rating related maiden at Nottingham on Mountain Ballet in the distinctive purple and red with gold braid at Nottingham yet he still has fond memories of the whole day.

He was a claimer attached to Ian Balding's yard in Kingsclere at the time and recalled: "I was at home in Chester at the weekend and I came from there to the races with my mum.

"I remember chatting to the lads in the weighing room and they all told me to get a photo in the colours, you never know, you might not ride for her again and Mum got loads of pictures.

"I was lucky enough to jump out, make all and win and my mum was in tears afterwards. It was a huge privilege to put the colours on and ride in them, never mind to win. It was just an apprentice race at Nottingham but it was definitely a massive highlight in my career."

David Griffiths: 'I was only a kid and she was probably the most famous person in the world but you wouldn't know she was the queen you were talking to'Credit: David Carr

Griffiths, now 48 and a trainer in his own right in South Yorkshire, also remembered the "surreal" occasions when the Queen visited the stables.

"She used to come to the yard at Kingsclere a couple of times a year," he said. "We'd get told very late on and I'm sure there was lots of security behind the scenes but there was no fuss.

"I remember being with the governor and showing her one of her horses that I looked after. It was surreal. I was only a kid and she was probably the most famous person in the world but you wouldn't know she was the Queen you were talking to.

"It was like just talking to someone with a massive love of horses. She would chat away and her knowledge on the form and the pedigrees was unreal, she knew everything."

And Griffiths also recalled marvelling at the personal relationship Balding had with his most famous owner.

"I also remember driving the governor back from Haydock and he just called the Queen up!" he said.

"He talked to her about how her filly had run before saying good night your Majesty and he rang off! To a young, stunned lad driving I wondered 'is this actually happening?'"