The Anonymous Widower

Should The Queen Be Going To Ireland?

Probably Yes!  But on a personal note, she’s probably a bit stressed and even a trifle excited about her horse Carlton House, which runs in the Derby on Saturday June 4th.

There is also this little story from horse racing gossip in the Guardian.

The Queen’s racing advisor, John Warren, told journalists an intriguing story as to how the monarch came to own Carlton House after the colt galloped into Derby favouritism with a victory in York’s Dante Stakes on Thursday. The three-year-old was apparently a present to Her Majesty from Sheikh Mohammed and there could be wry smiles all round if the royal colours are carried to victory at Epsom.

Despite more than 30 years of trying and hundreds of millions of pounds of investment, the sheikh has yet to have a Derby winner in his own name – now he could have given away a horse with a potential worth of tens of millions of pounds as a stallion.

Meanwhile, the Queen’s breeding empire suffered from what proved to be an error of judgement in the early 1980s when her mare Height Of Fashion was sold to Sheikh Mohammed’s brother, Hamdan. She went on to become one of the greatest mares of all time and produced the 1989 Derby winner Nashwan.

So perhaps she doesn’t beware of Arabs bearing gifts. On the other hand, it was quite an error of judgement over Height of Fashion.

I have a feeling I might go to the Derby. After all, if Carlton House does justify his favouritism and win, it will be one of those truly I was there moments.

Remember though that the last Royal Derby winner was Diamond Jubilee owned by Edward, the Price of Wales, in 1900. That was the year before his mother, Queen Victoria,  celebrated her diamond jubilee in 1901.

And Queen Elizabeth the Second celebrates her diamond jubilee next year!

May 15, 2011 - Posted by AnonW | News, Sport | Horse Racing, Queen Elizabeth, Republic Of Ireland