The royal family: 50 key players in the Queen's racing life

Aga Khan IV

A personal acquaintance of the Queen who gifted the subsequent Gold Cup winner Estimate to her in commemoration of her 80th birthday. His grandfather, Aga Khan III, gave the Queen as a wedding present another filly in Astrakhan.

Almeria

Hugely talented but temperamental performer whose victories in the 1957 Ribblesdale Stakes, Yorkshire Oaks and Park Hill Stakes saw her rated the leading middle-distance filly of her year.

Astrakhan

Became Princess Elizabeth's first winner on the Flat when she landed the Merry Maidens Stakes at Hurst Park in April 1950. Astrakhan was the only horse to win a Flat race in the princess's colours before she inherited the royal silks in 1952.

Aureole

Four days after her coronation the Queen watched Aureole carry the royal silks into second place behind Pinza, a first Derby winner for jockey Sir Gordon Richards at the 28th attempt. Aureole carried all before him the following season, culminating in victory in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. The Queen later said: "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 at Ascot before he won the King George."

Balding, Andrew

Followed in his father's footsteps in joining the royal roster and trained the Queen's final Royal Ascot winner, Tactical, in the 2020 Windsor Castle Stakes, as well as this year's Temple Stakes winner King's Lynn.

Ian Balding (left), trainer of Magna Carta, pictured with the Queen Mother and the Queen

Balding, Ian

Father of Andrew, he trained for the monarch for nearly 30 years from his Kingsclere stables in Hampshire. His first significant royal winner was Magna Carta in the 1970 Ascot Stakes.

Boyd-Rochfort, Sir Cecil

Sir Henry Cecil's stepfather trained for George VI until the Queen inherited the royal string. Boyd-Rochfort almost saddled a Derby winner for Her Majesty with Aureole. He also saddled Pall Mall to land the 1958 2,000 Guineas for the Queen, for whom he trained 136 winners in all.

Carlton House

London residence of the Prince Regent, subsequently George IV, from 1783 but also the name of two horses owned by the Queen. The first won the Fenwolf Stakes at Ascot in 1974, while the second famously filled third position in the 2011 Derby when sent off favourite behind Pour Moi.

Carnarvon, the seventh Earl

The Queen's racing manager from 1970 until his death in 2001, although his influence predated his official appointment. Destined to be remembered for his role in Height Of Fashion's sale to fund the purchase of West Ilsley, from where Dick Hern was sacked in 1988, Carnarvon was an astute owner-breeder who advocated the mating that produced Highclere.

Carr, Harry

Boyd-Rochfort's stable jockey and therefore associated with numerous royal winners, although he was replaced aboard Aureole for the colt’s triumphant four-year-old campaign and missed the Classic-winning ride on Pall Mall when opting to partner his stablemate Bald Eagle in the 1958 2,000 Guineas.

Carrozza

Trained by Noel Murless, Carrozza was the Queen's first Classic winner in the 1957 Oaks at Epsom. Carrozza carried the distinguishing white cap denoting the second royal colours; the first were carried by Mulberry Harbour, who finished unplaced. After the race Lester Piggott famously described Carrozza as "a fat little lady".

Carson, Willie

Took over from Joe Mercer as stable jockey to Dick Hern and rode Dunfermline to win the Oaks and St Leger in the Queen's Silver Jubilee year of 1977. "The Oaks was the best, it was one of the highlights of my career," he later said.

Charlton, Roger

Royal trainer who, with son Harry, operates from the Beckhampton stables formerly home to Fred Darling. It was here that the Queen paid her first visit to a racing stable when Darling trained Big Game and Sun Chariot, winners of four Classics for her father, King George VI. "I had never felt the satiny softness of a thoroughbred before. It's a wonderful feeling," the Queen later recalled.

Choir Boy

Trained by Sir Cecil Boyd-Rochfort, he was a first Royal Ascot winner for the Queen in the 1953 Royal Hunt Cup.

Devonshire, 12th Duke of

Her Majesty's Representative at Royal Ascot for 14 years, during which time the Queen's racecourse underwent a complete reconstruction – initially it was unpopular, but the course is now recognised as one of the world's finest.

Doutelle

A great favourite of the Queen's who rebounded from a rough passage in the 1957 Derby to win the John Porter and Ormonde Stakes – in which he beat subsequent King George and Arc winner Ballymoss – at four.

Dunfermline

Dual Classic heroine who was initially thought inferior to stablemate and royal filly Circlet, a half-sister to Highclere, at Dick Hern’s West Ilsley stables. Dunfermline was the only horse to master Alleged, whom she beat at Doncaster and who went on to win successive Arcs.

Estimate: star stayer gifted to the Queen by the Aga Khan in honour of her 80th birthdayCredit: Edward Whitaker

Estimate

Gifted to the Queen by the Aga Khan in honour of her 80th birthday, Estimate went on to fulfil a long-held ambition when battling to Gold Cup victory in 2013; she also won the Queen's Vase at the royal meeting the previous year.

Free Agent

The colt was the Queen's first Royal Ascot winner in nine years when he won the Chesham Stakes under Hughes – who later trained for Her Majesty – in 2008. The race was memorable for the Queen's reaction to victory: she punched the air in jubilation.

Gosden, John

Along with son Thady, sent out Reach For The Moon to win last year's Solario Stakes; the colt had been touted as a potential Platinum Jubilee Derby hope but he wasn't ready in time for the race, and was subsequently second at Royal Ascot.

Haggas, William

Relatively recent addition to the Queen's training roster and, among others, saddled last year's Group 3 winner Light Refrain and 2015 Acomb Stakes winner Recorder. Hopes are high for Light Refrain now she has joined the royal broodmare band.

Richard Hannon snr: sent out a stream of major winners for Lord Carnarvon in the 1990sCredit: Edward Whitaker

Hannon snr, Richard

Wiltshire trainer who received the royal summons after sending out a stream of major winners for Her Majesty's racing manager, Lord Carnarvon, in the early 1990s. "It's one of the few places I go that doesn't smell of fresh paint," the Queen joked on visiting Hannon's yard.

Head, Alec

Late doyen of French breeders who twice hosted the Queen on private visits to his Haras du Quesnay, in Normandy. On one of them the royal party dined in a little two-star restaurant in nearby Beaumont-en-Auge.

Height Of Fashion

Filly whose sale to Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum made her the one that got away. In addition to Nashwan, she bred six other black-type runners, among them a pair of fillies who have thrown Group 1 winners Ghanaati and Lahudood – the latter granddam of Baaeed.

Henderson, Nicky

Joined the Queen's cast of trainers on the death of the Queen Mother, whereupon the Queen extended the longstanding royal link with jumps racing. Sent out Barbers Shop to be the Queen's sole Cheltenham Gold Cup runner in 2009.

Hern, Dick

The source of a revival in Her Majesty's racing fortunes in the 1970s, when he saddled Highclere and Dunfermline to win four Classics. Controversially dismissed from his post at the royal stables at West Ilsley in 1988, after which he sent out Nashwan – out of the Queen's former racemare, Height Of Fashion – to win the following year's 2,000 Guineas and Derby.

Highclere

Homebred filly who thrived for the application of blinkers to win the 1,000 Guineas and Prix de Diane – the latter race chosen by the Queen ahead of the Oaks – in 1974. A descendant of King George VI's influential mare Feola, Highclere became dam of several talented runners including Height Of Fashion.

Hopeful Venture

A high-class colt, Hopeful Venture closed the chapter on the Queen leasing horses bred by the National Stud on a successful note in 1968 when he won three major races: the Ormonde and Hardwicke Stakes, and the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.

Huntingdon, Lord

Royal trainer from 1978 who succeeded Dick Hern at West Ilsley, from where he sent out a steady stream of royal winners from 1989. In that year he trained the Queen's only Grade 1 winner in North America when Unknown Quantity landed the Arlington Handicap.

Hypericum

The Queen was present at Newmarket to see her father's filly win the 1,000 Guineas in 1946, when she bolted before the start and was retrieved from the car park. Hypericum subsequently became granddam of Highclere.

Insular

Bred by the Queen and owned in turn by her, her mother and Ian Balding, Insular swept the Princess Royal to a nine-length victory in the Queen Mother's Cup, a race for lady amateur riders at York in 1988.

Knight, Henrietta

Three-time Gold Cup-winning handler who trained jumpers for the Queen and who had close links to the royal family. Knight's late brother-in Lord Vestey, the former chairman of Cheltenham racecourse, was holder of the ceremonial post of Master of the Horse in the royal household. "I have been fortunate to have been so close to such a wonderful lady," said Knight of the Queen.

Joe Mercer: Dick Hern's retained jockey who rode Highclere to her 1974 Classic triumphsCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Mercer, Joe

Dick Hern's retained jockey who rode Highclere to her Classic triumphs. Joined Hern for an impromptu dinner thrown by the Queen ("Come in, my warriors," she said) after Highclere's Prix de Diane victory, which sparked joyous scenes among turfistes at Chantilly.

Mildmay, Anthony, Second Baron Mildmay of Flete

Responsible for the royal purchase of Monaveen after he sat next to the Queen Mother at a dinner thrown by King George VI to celebrate Avila's Royal Ascot victory in 1949. Monaveen would teach mother and daughter that triumph and disaster in racing are inextricably linked.

Monaveen

The first winner owned by the Queen, who shared this steeplechaser with her mother. Monaveen won in royal livery for the first time at Fontwell Park in 1949 and finished a respectable fifth behind Freebooter in the 1950 Grand National. His career met a tragic end in a fall at Hurst Park later that year.

Moore, Sir Charles

Racing manager to King George VI and subsequently the Queen. Moore was a successful breeder in his own right who revived the Royal Studs' ailing fortunes in the 1950s. Moore also put in place the arrangement that saw George VI and his daughter lease horses bred by the National Stud.

Moore, Ryan

Top-class jockey closely associated with Sir Michael Stoute's runners, riding Carlton House to be third in the Derby and driving Estimate to victory in the Gold Cup and the previous season's Queen's Vase.

Murless, Sir Noel

Royal trainer who won 19 British Classics including three Derbys and five Oaks – among them Carrozza in 1957. Murless trained the royal horses who were leased from the estate of Lord Wavertree, which subsequently evolved into what is now the National Stud.

Sir Michael Oswold: a key player who joined the Royal Studs in 1970, serving for 30 yearsCredit: Max Mumby/Indigo

Oswald, Sir Michael

Former director of the Royal Studs who remained active within the royal coterie as National Hunt adviser to the Queen until his death last year. Joined the Royal Studs in 1970, when the office was based at Hampton Court, and served for 30 years.

Pall Mall

Homebred winner of the 1958 2,000 Guineas for the Queen. He was trained by Boyd-Rochfort, who also saddled the favourite, Bald Eagle; hence Pall Mall's starting price of 20-1. Her Majesty did not see the colt's victory – she was absent from Newmarket because of flu.

Piggott, Lester

Rode a fine race to win the Oaks aboard Carrozza in 1957, when he was 21 years old. The jockey had earlier won the Derby on Crepello for Murless, who trained Carrozza and who retained Piggott as his stable jockey.

Rising Light

The Queen's pick of the 1942 foal crop on her first visit to the Royal Studs at Hampton Court, where they were then based. She subsequently watched Rising Light finish fifth in the 1945 wartime substitute Derby at Newmarket – which also marked her first visit to the blue riband.

Shirley Heights

Owned by the Earl of Halifax, Shirley Heights won the 1978 Derby before taking up stallion duties at Sandringham, where he became a leading sire. During the Queen's stewardship of the Royal Studs Aureole, another Sandringham resident, was twice champion sire.

Willie Snaith: Geordie who partnered the Queen's Landau to win the 1954 Sussex StakesCredit: Chris Bourchier

Snaith, Willie

A Geordie, Snaith rode the Queen's Landau to win the 1954 Sussex Stakes. He was awarded an MBE in 2004 for services to the community in Newmarket, where he worked as a tourist guide. Died in 2019.

Stoute, Sir Michael

The most successful among contemporary royal trainers, Stoute sent out Estimate to win the 2013 Gold Cup. Might have trained a royal Classic winner had Flight Of Fancy not fractured her pelvis when challenging in the 2001 Oaks, in which she finished second to Imagine.

Stream Of Light

The Queen's first winner in the royal silks, courtesy of the 1952 Lancashire Oaks. The silks were mothballed while the court was in mourning after King George VI's death in February that year. During that period the Queen's horses ran in the Duke of Norfolk's colours.

Stroma

Bought on the Queen's personal instruction at the 1956 Doncaster yearling sales for 1,150 guineas, Stroma made a major impact at stud when producing 1965 Eclipse Stakes winner Canisbay and Dunfermline's dam, Strathcona.

Turner, Hayley

Carved herself a slice of history when she became the first professional woman jockey to ride a winner for the Queen aboard Tactician at Newbury in April 2010.

The Queen and John Warren (right): he was at the Queen's side for Estimate's famous winCredit: Edward Whitaker

Warren, John

Appointed as bloodstock and racing adviser in 2001, Warren succeeded his late father-in-law to the most important position within the Queen's racing and breeding interests. He introduced significant new blood to the royal broodmare band and was at Her Majesty's side for Estimate's famous Gold Cup triumph.

Wavertree, 1st Baron

On his death in 1933 Lord Wavertree left his bloodstock holdings to the government for the creation of a National Stud, which leased horses to the Queen. The best from this source were Carrozza, Landau and Hopeful Venture – and before them, Big Game and Sun Chariot for George VI.

Click here for a detailed look at the Queen's achievements in racing

In Tuesday's Racing Post