Queen's attendance undecided as royal runner Reach For The Moon is supported

The extent of the Queen's participation at Royal Ascot next week remains unclear, with Buckingham Palace describing the monarch's diary as a matter for "on-the-day" decisions.

The Queen's public appearances have been streamlined in recent months, and among her intended engagements during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations last weekend, she missed both a service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral and the Derby meeting at Epsom, with a palace statement referring to her experiencing
"discomfort" following her appearance at the Trooping the Colour parade.

The Queen is due to have a number of high-profile runners throughout the meeting, with sprinter King's Lynn her flagbearer at Group 1 level in either the King's Stand Stakes on Tuesday or the Platinum Jubilee Stakes on Saturday.

Ladbrokes reported more support for Reach For The Moon, a one-time Derby hopeful who warmed up for the royal meeting when second in the Listed Heron Stakes over an inadequate mile at Sandown last month and who now looks likely to go off a red-hot favourite for the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes on Thursday.

Reach For The Moon: will be the Queen's best chance of a winner at the royal meetingCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

The firm cut Reach For The Moon into 4-5 (from 6-4) after what they described as a string of bets on Saturday morning.

Nicola McGeady, of Ladbrokes, said: "Nobody is quite sure yet if the Queen will attend Royal Ascot next week, but one thing we are sure of and that is the popularity of her runners.

"Of her runners, it looks like Reach For The Moon will be her best chance of a winner and the Hampton Court Stakes favourite has already started to gather momentum."

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