Poignant victory for the Queen as all roads lead to Royal Ascot for Tactical

The Queen recorded her first winner since the death of her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, after Tactical landed the Listed European Free Handicap at Newmarket under Oisin Murphy.

The three-year-old, who finished down the field in the Dewhurst last season for Andrew Balding, finished clear of the favourite Naval Crown.

"Our thoughts are with the Queen and her family," Murphy told Racing TV. "He's clearly tough and he's a ball of muscle. He's trained well but he's not been off the bridle and hopefully he'll come on for this."

Tactical was cut to 5-1 (from 25) for the Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains, but his trainer said that "all roads lead to Royal Ascot".

Balding told ITV Racing: "Royal Ascot is very much the objective and the purpose here was to find out which race. He might stay a mile and he'll have a St James's Palace entry, and then there's obviously the Jersey Stakes.

"I'll discuss it with Her Majesty and John [Warren] but I think I'd rule out the Commonwealth Cup. It looked very much like seven furlongs, and possibly a mile, would suit him well.

"It was a great thrill for everyone at the yard when he won at Royal Ascot last year and it might be expecting too much to do it again, but he's the right type. He has a great mind."

Asked whether there was further improvement in Tactical, Balding added: "I hope so. He's done very well physically. If he stayed a mile, there'd certainly be more to come as the programme book opens up a bit more, whereas seven furlongs is quite restrictive. But we're thrilled to win today and all roads lead to Ascot."

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