'Of the many royal triumphs, this probably gave the Queen her greatest pleasure'

1942

Princess Elizabeth’s first visit to a racing stable

This seminal moment was when the young princess, then 16, became a racing aficionado for life. By now a proficient rider and increasingly familiar with the pedigrees in the Royal Studs, Elizabeth and her younger sister, Margaret, persuaded their father to take them to the Beckhampton stables of Fred Darling, who trained Sun Chariot and Big Game for George VI. It was a rare adventure for two princesses who were not permitted to be seen in public during the war years.

Both horses were already Classic winners. Big Game’s 2,000 Guineas triumph made him a warn order for the Derby, while Sun Chariot was strongly fancied for the Oaks despite showing trademark waywardness in winning the 1,000 Guineas.

Sun Chariot had scant respect for reputations, too: on this day she was particularly mulish at morning exercise. As her jockey, Gordon Richards, later related: “I could not get her to start and, at one stage, she took me straight into a ploughed field, got down on her knees and roared like a bull. It was most unpleasant.”

Princess Elizabeth was undeterred. “I was able to pat [the horses] in the stable afterwards,” she reflected many years later. “I had never felt the satiny softness of a thoroughbred before. It’s a wonderful feeling.”

As it turned out, Big Game’s stamina failed him at Epsom but Sun Chariot won the Oaks before adding the St Leger to her resume. George VI had therefore won four of the five British Classics.

1946

1,000 Guineas day, Newmarket

Princess Elizabeth was already more than familiar with her father’s homebred filly Hypericum. She’d seen the daughter of Hyperion as a foal at Hampton Court Stud, and was on hand (her parents were absent) when Hypericum raced to victory in the previous year’s Dewhurst Stakes against colts.

She was also present, this time with her father, when Hypericum reappeared at Hurst Park, where she was beaten in her Classic trial. Come the 1,000 Guineas, therefore, and the princess was well accustomed to the Jekyll-and-Hyde nature of the royal filly.

Both sides of Hypericum’s character were on show at Newmarket. She charged the tapes at the start, dumped her jockey Doug Smith, and galloped headlong down the course before she was eventually retrieved in the racecourse car park. Mercifully unscathed and reunited with Smith fully 15 minutes after she’d decanted him, Hypericum then proceeded to outpace Neolight by 1½ lengths.

It was the first royal Classic winner the princess witnessed in person. “It was a source of terrible excitement when Hypericum disappeared into the car park and was brought back [to the start],” she said later. “The extraordinary thing was, she then won.”

1950

Astrakhan triumphs at Hurst Park

Every racehorse owner remembers their first winner – in Princess Elizabeth’s case Astrakhan, who overcame troublesome knee joints to give the future queen her first winner on the Flat.

Astrakhan was given to her as a foal by the Aga Khan on her marriage to Philip Mountbatten in 1947. She was of superior lineage but her trainer, Cecil Boyd-Rochfort, was convinced she would never stand up to the rigours of training. In consequence, Astrakhan was moved to Willie Smyth’s smaller stable, where she could receive the individual attention she required.

While there, Astrakhan was treated no by a vet but by a physiotherapist, which was highly irregular in the middle of the last century. However, the course of electrotherapy paid dividends and the fragile filly rewarded her owner in breaking her duck on April 15.

Astrakhan was the only Flat winner to carry Elizabeth’s own registered silks of scarlet, purple hooped sleeves and black cap. She would inherit the royal silks on the death of her father, George VI, in 1952.

1954

Aureole wins Europe’s midsummer championship

Aureole was the best colt to carry the royal silks in the Queen’s lifetime. He had given the royal entourage a great thrill in chasing home Pinza in the previous year’s Derby, which was run just four days after the Queen’s Coronation.

One year on and Aureole surpassed himself in winning the race named after the Queen’s parents, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. Just like Hypericum before she won the 1,000 Guineas, Aureole prefaced his victory by shedding his jockey, Eph Smith, down at the start.

The race itself was infinitely more straightforward for Smith. Having seen off Darius down the home straight, Aureole had to fight hard to repel the French raider Vamos, whom he resisted by three-quarters of a length. The intensity of the finish promoted a sense of great excitement in the Queen, who hurried down from her box to greet Aureole.

Some onlookers maintained that she was actually running in her haste. She was being propelled by the spontaneous joy of the moment. It was several moments later before her racing manager Sir Charles Moore, all of six feet three inches tall, joined her in the winner’s enclosure.

The Queen would later observe: “Aureole was always an independent and frankly naughty character. He was often loose at Newmarket when he was in training, which is why I think it didn’t disturb him when he got loose before he won the King George.”

Aureole’s triumph, coupled with those gained earlier in the Coronation Cup and Hardwicke Stakes, ensured that Her Majesty ended the season as leading owner in Britain for the first time. Aureole was subsequently the leading sire in Britain and Ireland twice, although alas, he never sired a royal colt remotely of his calibre.

1956

The astute purchase of Stroma

By now the Queen’s responsibilities as monarch left her with scant time to pursue her love of going racing. Nevertheless, in making the trip to Doncaster to watch High Veldt contest the St Leger, Her Majesty also looked over some yearlings at the Doncaster sales before her eye settled on a filly.

A bid of 1,150 guineas was all it took to secure Stroma, who went on to demonstrate above-average ability on the racecourse before excelling herself in the Royal Studs. Stroma became dam of Canisbay, who won the 1965 Eclipse Stakes in the royal silks; and granddam of Dunfermline, the winner of two Classics in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee year of 1977.

High Veldt may have disappointed in the St Leger but in Stroma, the Queen returned from Doncaster with the sort of bargain most owner-breeders can only dream about.

Queen Elizabeth II leads in her first Classic winner, Carrozza, after the filly's Oaks victoryCredit: Getty Images

1957

A first Classic at Epsom

It was a season when the Queen had a surfeit of talented three-year-old fillies. There was Almeria, winner of the Ribblesdale Stakes, Yorkshire Oaks and Park Hill Stakes. There was Mulberry Harbour, whose Cheshire Oaks triumph saw her start favourite for the Oaks, and there was Carrozza, who won the Oaks in which Mulberry Harbour ran poorly.

For the Queen, despair at the sight of Mulberry Harbour back-pedalling down the straight turned to elation as Lester Piggott drove Carrozza through a narrow gap along the inside rail to lead with two furlongs remaining. But the race was far from over.

Seemingly out of nowhere, Silken Glider bore down on Carrozza with such menace late on that she looked sure to be swamped. But Piggott implored Carrozza for one final effort, which was sufficient to carry the day by a short head.

Carrozza was leased to the monarch by the National Stud, which retained the filly for breeding purposes when her racing days were over. It was by a similar arrangement that George VI had raced Big Game and Sun Chariot 15 years earlier, and if royal winners bred by the Royal Studs were more cherished, photographs of the day attest to the immense pleasure the Queen derived from leading in her first Classic winner.

1974

The year of Highclere

Ordinarily, a two-year-old filly who starts encouragingly only to taper away will never justify the lofty aspirations once held for her. Highclere was an exception. Refreshed by a winter’s rest, she returned at three to win a brace of Classics for Her Majesty. Her transformation was abetted by the fitting of blinkers, which had invigorated her sire Queen’s Hussar, who was bred and raced by the Queen’s then-racing manager, Lord Porchester (subsequently Carnarvon).

The mood was sombre as connections viewed a replay of the 1,000 Guineas finish in the stewards’ room at Newmarket. Polygamy’s late thrust seemed to have carried her beyond Highclere – which meant that joy erupted from the depths of despair when the photo-finish went Highclere’s way.

Even in the flush of victory, however, the Queen maintained her equilibrium. She explained to an exultant Press corps that Highclere’s stamina for the Oaks was suspect, so she would instead run in the French equivalent, the Prix de Diane, over an extended ten furlongs.

Come the day and Highclere was dominant, seizing a gap along the inside rail to win unchallenged from Comtesse de Loir. The crowd at Chantilly rose in unison to acclaim a royal triumph essayed by Dick Hern and Joe Mercer, Highclere’s trainer and jockey. “I think it was one of the happiest racing days of the Queen’s life because she received such a welcome,” said Sir Peter O’Sullevan, who lost a shoe in the stampede towards the winner’s enclosure.

Highclere was Her Majesty’s third individual Classic winner, after Carrozza and Pall Mall (1958 2,000 Guineas). The difference was that she would return whence she came to the Royal Studs, where she bred the Group winners Milford and Height Of Fashion, the latter dam of Nashwan after Height Of Fashion’s sale to Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum. Furthermore, Highclere’s granddaughter, Wind In Her Hair, became dam of the Japanese racing and stallion sensation, Deep Impact.

1977

A Silver Jubilee to remember

A consequence of Dunfermline’s emergence in Silver Jubilee year was that her owner’s diary was saturated with public engagements in celebration of it. As a result, the Queen was unable to attend either of Dunfermline’s Classic triumphs in the 1977 Oaks and St Leger.

In hindsight, Dunfermline’s early promise foretold of things to come. The big, rangy filly finished runner-up in both the May Hill Stakes and Fillies’ Mile to emphasise the depths of her stamina, and opened her three-year-old campaign with a four-length defeat of Olwyn, subsequently winner of the Irish Oaks, in the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket.

Her credentials for the Oaks were strong, yet she went off at 6-1 for the fillies’ Classic. Even those odds looked unattractive as Dunfermline suffered from scrimmaging to turn for home among the back-markers. But Willie Carson persisted, his punchy riding style drawing the best from a filly whose resolution had been questioned.

Dunfermline: top filly won the Oaks and St Leger in 1977, the Queen's Silver Jubilee yearCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

No longer. Dunfermline passed horse after horse until Freeze The Secret loomed large in her sights. At the end of a sustained run, one final call from Carson saw her home by three-quarters of a length.

A defeat in the Yorkshire Oaks, which was run at a crawl, prompted Dick Hern to run Gregarious as Dunfermline’s pacemaker in the St Leger. The royal filly was up against the unbeaten Alleged but Carson’s tactics were flawless. Having tracked Alleged into the straight, Carson engaged that colt, who would win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe three weeks later, before drawing away to win by a length and a half.

Simultaneously at Balmoral, the Queen could have been excused for appearing a little distracted as she monitored how Dunfermline was faring. Her guest on that day was the Prime Minister, Jim Callaghan.

2011

The inauguration of Champions Day

Royal Ascot went from strength to strength during the Queen’s long reign. The monarch oversaw two significant redevelopments of the racecourse, the second of which did not initially meet with universal approval, yet there was genuine royal pride in Ascot’s mantle as Britain’s premier track.

That status gained significantly from the introduction of Champions Day in 2011. And from the Queen’s perspective, its mid-October date ensured she was often free to attend. This, in turn, played an important part in Ascot securing a handsome sponsorship deal with Qipco.

Her Majesty was present for the inaugural running, when she took the opportunity to have a long look at Frankel in the paddock before he won the race named after her, the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. She was there again 12 months later, when Frankel stretched his unbeaten streak to 14 on his swansong in the Champion Stakes.

2013

Estimate wins the Gold Cup

In 1977, during a filmed conversation with Sir Peter O’Sullevan for the royal archives, the Queen confided that like all owner-breeders, the race she wanted to win above all others was the Derby. That sentiment underwent revision between then and 2013, when Estimate became first horse owned by a reigning British monarch to win Royal Ascot’s signature race.

Victory on that sun-kissed afternoon released a spontaneous outpouring of joy after Estimate fought hard to resist Simenon throughout the final furlong. It was a gripping finish at the end of a marathon test, after which the Queen told Estimate’s trainer, Sir Michael Stoute, that the Gold Cup was the race above all others she had most wanted to win.

Up in the royal box, the Queen was seen willing her filly home in company with her grandchildren, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, who cheered enthusiastically alongside her. Her Majesty was animated – although not to the extent she had been in 2008, when she punched the air with delight after Free Agent won the Chesham Stakes. Her enthusiasm on that day was understandable: at a meeting where she celebrated 24 successes, Free Agent’s was her first in nine years.

Estimate demonstrated a particular liking for Ascot. She’d won the Queen’s Vase at the previous year’s Royal meeting, and she’d presaged her Gold Cup triumph in winning the Sagaro Stakes at the same venue seven weeks earlier.

Estimate was bred by the Aga Khan, whose grandfather had given Astrakhan to the-then Princess Elizabeth on her wedding day in 1947. Estimate was another gift, this time in commemoration of the Queen’s 80th birthday. Of all the many royal triumphs, this probably gave the Queen her greatest pleasure.

The Queen’s most notable horses as an owner

Monaveen 1949 Queen Elizabeth Chase
Stream Of Light 1952 Lancashire Oaks
Gay Time 1952 Gordon Stakes, 1953 March Stakes (Newmarket)
AUREOLE 1952 Acomb Stakes, 1953 Derby Trial, Cumberland Lodge Stakes, 1954 Victor Wild Stakes, CORONATION CUP, Hardwicke Stakes, KING GEORGE VI AND QUEEN ELIZABETH STAKES
Choir Boy 1953 Royal Hunt Cup, Swinley Forest Handicap
LANDAU 1953 Doncaster Produce Stakes, 1954 Rous Memorial Stakes, SUSSEX STAKES
Angel Bright 1954 Oaks Trial
Rejoicing 1954 Glasgow Stakes
Corporal 1954 Newmarket Foal Stakes
Alexander 1954 Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, 1955 2,000 Guineas Trial, 1956 Royal Hunt Cup
Sierra Nevada 1955 Blue Riband Trial
Jardiniere 1955 King George V Handicap
High Veldt 1955 Houghton Stakes, 1956 2,000 Guineas Trial, Thirsk Classic Trial
Opera Score 1955 Midland Cambridgeshire
Atlas 1956 Dee Stakes, Doncaster Cup
Doutelle 1956 Granville Stakes, 1957 2,000 Guineas Trial, Derby Trial, Cumberland Lodge Stakes, Limekiln Stakes, 1958 John Porter Stakes, Ormonde Stakes
Agreement 1957 Coventry Stakes (Kempton), Newmarket St Leger, Lowther Stakes (Newmarket), 1958 Doncaster Cup, 1959 Chester Cup, Doncaster Cup
CARROZZA 1957 Princess Elizabeth Stakes, OAKS
Mulberry Harbour 1957 Cheshire Oaks, Newmarket Oaks
ALMERIA 1957 Ribblesdale Stakes, Bentinck Stakes, YORKSHIRE OAKS, Park Hill Stakes, 1958 Coombe Stakes
PALL MALL 1957 New (Norfolk) Stakes, 1958 Thirsk Classic Trial, 2,000 GUINEAS, Lockinge Stakes, 1959 Lockinge Stakes
Flake White 1957 Fenwolf Stakes
Michelino 1957 Halifax Handicap
Miner’s Lamp 1958 Blue Riband Trial, Princess of Wales’s Stakes
Snow Cat 1958 Royal (Classic Trial) Stakes, Rous Memorial Stakes
Restoration 1958 King Edward VII Stakes
Court One 1958 Falmouth Stakes
Sundown 1958 Granville Stakes
Pindari 1958 Solario Stakes, 1959 Craven Stakes, King Edward VII Stakes, Great Voltigeur Stakes
Above Suspicion 1959 St James’s Palace Stakes, Gordon Stakes
Blue Riband 1959 Galtres Stakes, Mornington Stakes
Impudent 1961 Oaks Trial
Aiming High 1961 Glasgow Stakes, Coronation Stakes
Augustine 1961 William Hill Diamond Handicap
Optimistic 1961 Newbury Autumn Cup, 1962 Sunninghill Park Stakes
Aubusson 1962 Kirk & Kirk Stakes, 1963 St James’s Stakes
Amicable 1963 Nell Gwyn Stakes, Oaks Trial
Step On It 1963 Champion Handicap Sprint
CANISBAY 1964 Wood Ditton Stakes, 1965 ECLIPSE STAKES
Gold Aura 1964 Great Metropolitan Handicap, 1965 Goodwood Stakes, 1967 Rosebery Memorial Handicap
Crest Of The Wave 1964 Glasgow Stakes
Golden Oriole 1964 Crockford Handicap
Apprentice 1965 Yorkshire Cup, Goodwood Cup
Credence 1965 Atalanta Stakes
Gaulois 1966 Goodwood Cup
HOPEFUL VENTURE 1967 Wood Ditton Stakes, Princess of Wales’s Stakes, Oxfordshire (Geoffrey Freer) Stakes, 1968 Ormonde Stakes, Hardwicke Stakes, GRAND PRIX DE SAINT-CLOUD
Zaloba 1967 Lonsdale Welter Handicap
Castle Yard 1968 Zetland Gold Cup, Falmouth Handicap
Quickmatch 1969 Atalanta Stakes
St Patrick’s Blue 1969 Rufford Abbey Handicap, 1970 Timeform Gold Trophy
Charlton 1970 Predominate Stakes, Eglinton Stakes, 1971 Henry II Stakes, William Hill Gold Trophy
Magna Carta 1970 Ascot Stakes, Greenall Whitley Gold Challenge Trophy, WD & HO Wills Trophy, Doncaster Cup
Albany 1971 Sandleford Priory Stakes, Prix de Psyche
Example 1971 Park Hill Stakes, Prix de Royallieu, 1972 Prix Jean de Chaudenay
Gloss 1973 Glasgow Stakes (Div 1), Great Yorkshire Handicap
Pantomime 1973 Tote Roll-Up (Fern Hill) Handicap
Manoeuvre 1973 Plantation Stud Stakes
Escorial 1973 Green Shield (Fillies’ Mile) Stakes, 1974 Musidora Stakes
HIGHCLERE 1974 1,000 GUINEAS, PRIX DE DIANE
Kalamegdan 1974 Wilkinson Memorial Stakes
Carlton House 1974 Fenwolf Stakes
Rekindle 1974 Sunninghill Park Stakes
Light Duty 1975 Twyford Stakes
Joking Apart 1975 Duchess of Montrose Handicap, Strensall Stakes
Crofting 1975 Radley Stakes
Gilding 1976 Ascot 1,000 Guineas Trial
Fife And Drum 1976 Strathclyde Stakes, Washington Singer Stakes
Card Player 1976 Fitzroy House Stakes
Circlet 1976 Blue Seal Stakes
DUNFERMLINE 1977 Pretty Polly Stakes (Newmarket), OAKS, ST LEGER
Gregarious 1977 Glasgow Stakes, ATS Trophy Handicap
Duke Of Normandy 1977 Fenwolf Stakes, 1978 Warren Stakes (Epsom)
Valuation 1977 Brown Jack Handicap, 1978 Brown Jack Handicap
Tartan Pimpernel 1977 Acomb Stakes, May Hill Stakes, 1978 Galtres Stakes
Rhyme Royal 1978 Esher Cup, Falmouth Handicap, Garrowby Handicap, 1979 Sandown Cup, London Gold Cup
English Harbour 1978 Predominate Stakes
Contralto 1978 Fenwolf Stakes
Milford 1979 White Rose Stakes, Derby Trial, Princess of Wales’s Stakes
Buttress 1979 Tote Bookmakers’ Handicap, Queen’s Vase
Expansive 1979 Ribblesdale Stakes
Dukedom 1980 White Rose Stakes
Church Parade 1980 Lanson Champagne (Vintage) Stakes, 1981 High Line Stakes
Deadly Serious 1980 Galtres Stakes
Height Of Fashion 1981 Acomb Stakes, May Hill Stakes, Fillies’ Mile, 1982 Lupe Stakes, Princess of Wales’s Stakes
Sans Blague 1982 Galtres Stakes
Special Leave 1982 Hyperion Stakes
Elusive 1983 Acomb Stakes
Silver Dollar 1984 Halifax (Fenwolf) Stakes
Insular 1985 March Handicap
Soprano 1985 International Fillies’ Stakes, Atalanta Stakes
Leading Star 1985 Courage Handicap
Salient 1985 Red Deer Handicap
Laughter 1985 Houghton Stakes
Nettle 1986 Rochford Thompson Newbury (Radley) Stakes
UNKNOWN QUANTITY 1989 Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club Trophy, ARLINGTON HANDICAP
Starlet 1990 Rosebery Handicap, City and Suburban Handicap, Racal-Vodafone (Gala) Stakes, Team Trophy
Enharmonic 1990 City of York Stakes, 1991 Ostermann-Pokal, Oettingen-Rennen, 1993 Diomed Stakes, Premio Gobierno Vasco
Top Register 1992 White Rose Stakes
Colour Sergeant 1992 Royal Hunt Cup, Crocker Bulteel Handicap
Sharp Prod 1992 Criterium du Bequet, Moet & Chandon-Rennen, 1993 Prix du Pin, Grosser Sprint-Preis, 1994 Holsten Trophy, 1995 Prix Contessina
Tissisat 1993 Newbury Spring Handicap
Spring To Action 1993 Bahrain Trophy
Whitechapel 1994 Ascot Handicap, 1995 Newbury Autumn Cup
Phantom Gold 1995 Ribblesdale Stakes, St Simon Stakes, 1996 Geoffrey Freer Stakes
Arabian Story 1996 Moet & Chandon Silver Magnum, Garrowby Handicap, 1997 Paknet Handicap, Steventon Stakes
Shaft Of Light 1997 Moet & Chandon Silver Magnum
Blueprint 1998 Melrose Handicap, 1999 March Handicap, Duke of Edinburgh Handicap, Fred Archer Stakes, 2000 Jockey Club Stakes
Fairy Godmother 1999 Ballymacoll Stud Stakes
Holly Blue 1999 Fern Hill Handicap
Fictitious 1999 Hoppings Stakes, 2000 De La Rose Handicap
Film Script 2000 Oaks Trial, Golden Daffodil Stakes
Interlude 2000 Prix de Pomone
Temple Way 2000 Moneyguru Handicap
Right Approach 2003 Royal Windsor Stakes
Forward Move 2005 Thoroughbred Stakes
Banknote 2007 Doncaster Mile, Badener Meile
Medley 2007 Sceptre Stakes
Free Agent 2008 Chesham Stakes, 2010 Silver Cup Handicap
Enticement 2008 Montrose Fillies’ Stakes, 2009 Severals Stakes
Barbers Shop 2008 Future Stars Chase
Kingdom Of Fife 2009 Zetland Gold Cup
Golden Stream 2009 Eternal Stakes, October Stakes
Royal Exchange 2010 Stonehenge Stakes
Carlton House 2011 Dante Stakes, 2012 Brigadier Gerard Stakes
Tactician 2011 Silver Cup Handicap
Set To Music 2011 Galtres Stakes, 2012 Warwickshire Oaks
Momentary 2012 Fillies’ Trial Stakes
ESTIMATE 2012 Queen’s Vase, 2013 Sagaro Stakes, ASCOT GOLD CUP, 2014 Doncaster Cup
Close Touch 2013 EBF NH Novices’ Hurdle Final
Musical Comedy 2014 Carnarvon Stakes
Peacock 2015 Fairway Stakes
Recorder 2015 Acomb Stakes
Mustard 2015 Old Rowley Cup Handicap
Light Music 2015 Radley Stakes
Dartmouth 2016 John Porter Stakes, Ormonde Stakes, Hardwicke Stakes, 2017 Yorkshire Cup
Diploma 2016 Lyric Fillies’ Stakes
Forth Bridge 2017 Scottish Triumph Hurdle Trial, 2019 Silver Bowl Chase
Call To Mind 2017 March Stakes, 2018 Belmont Gold Cup
Fabricate 2017 Winter Hill Stakes, 2018 Magnolia Stakes, Winter Hill Stakes
Daphne 2017 River Eden Fillies’ Stakes
Seniority 2018 Golden Mile Handicap
Sunshade 2019 Mares’ Handicap Hurdle
Magnetic Charm 2019 Michael Seely Memorial Fillies’ Stakes
King’s Lynn 2019 Weatherbys Racing Bank £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes, 2021 Achilles Stakes, Wentworth Stakes, 2022 Temple Stakes
Sextant 2019 Stand Cup Stakes
Tactical 2020 Windsor Castle Stakes, July Stakes, 2021 European Free Handicap
Light Refrain 2021 Kilvington Stakes, Summer Stakes
Reach For The Moon 2021 Solario Stakes

Capitals: Group 1 winners or equivalent

Compiled by John Randall