Royal Ascot: Queen’s horse Estimate wins Gold Cup

ONE has won. The Queen was celebrating yesterday after her horse, Estimate, romped home to win the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in a sporting first.
The Queen with day three winner Estimate. Picture: ReutersThe Queen with day three winner Estimate. Picture: Reuters
The Queen with day three winner Estimate. Picture: Reuters

The four-year-old filly became the first reigning monarch’s horse to win the prestigious event in its 207-year history.

With a clap of her hands and a beaming smile, she celebrated as her thoroughbred crossed the line, while her family jumped for joy in the royal box.

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Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie had joined their grandmother for a day at the races and could not contain their excitement during the dramatic finish.

The Queen’s smile lasted long after her horse crossed the line and she was still beaming when she joined jockey Ryan Moore and trainer Sir Michael Stoute in the winners’ enclosure for the trophy presentation.

Grandson Peter Phillips said: “This is her passion. To win the big one at Royal Ascot means so much to her.”

The victory is her biggest win since her horse Dunfermline, ridden by Willie Carson, won the Oaks and St Leger in her Silver Jubilee year 1977.

Sir Michael said: “[The Queen] told me it was a very big thrill and thanked everybody.”

The Queen has been a passionate horse owner and breeder for much of her 61-year reign and even whiled away her 87th birthday, in April, at the yard of a west country trainer, casting her eye over thoroughbreds. Her horses have also won four out of the five flat-racing classics – the 1,000 Guineas and 2,000 Guineas, the Oaks and the St Leger – with only the Derby eluding her.

Estimate lived up to her billing as pre-start 7-2 favourite and, as the race over 4,000 metres drew to a close, she made her way from the middle of the field, took on the front runners and beat them to the line.

The victory is an added boost for the Queen, who has been attending the annual meet this week without the Duke of Edinburgh, who is convalescing after abdominal surgery.

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Still wearing the royal racing silks of purple and scarlet with gold braiding, jockey Moore said: “To win the Gold Cup in her colours is exceptional.”

The Queen was scheduled to hand out the winning trophies, but the Duke of York, part of her party, stepped in instead.

Prime Minister David Cameron praised the Queen’s win in a tweet: “Huge congratulations – first time a reigning monarch’s horse has won the Gold Cup.”

William Hill said it paid out £1.5 million to punters who backed Estimate. As owner, the Queen won £155,960 in prize money, but she does not bet.

Ladies Day yesterday saw the usual array of celebrities – including Olympic cyclist Victoria Pendleton and TV cook Mary Berry – as well as extravagant hats and dresses.

Some women, however, were refused entry because of high hemlines and low-cut tops. “We need to bring class and elegance back into this world where so many girls look trashy,” said Mimi Theobald, 28, a milliner from Inverness, from under a big white hat with a tartan bow and black and white feathers.

Fashion student Gabriele Dirvanauskas’s hat featured nappies and golden gem-encrusted rattles, bottles and dummies topped off with a crown, to celebrate the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s impending baby.

The 23-year-old said: “I’m very excited by the royal baby and I hope it’s a girl.”

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