Advertisement

King Charles lands first winner since inheriting late Queen's horses

Just Fine - focusonracing.com
Just Fine - focusonracing.com

Sir Michael Stoute and Ryan Moore, who provided the Queen with the biggest winner in over 70 years as an owner when Estimate won the 2013 Ascot Gold Cup, combined to give King Charles III his first winner in the Royal silks when Just Fine won at Leicester.

The son of Sea The Stars, who was bred by Sheikh Mohammed, was the King’s sixth runner since he inherited both the horses and colours of the late Queen.

The gelding has won as a two-year-old, three-year-old and, now, as a four-year-old having come from behind to run out a comfortable winner of the 1m2f handicap beating the favourite, Sea The Casper, by four and a half lengths.

“We’re all delighted for the King and Queen Consort that they have had their first winner in the Sovereign’s colours,” said his racing adviser John Warren. “As you can appreciate their royal highnesses have much to think about at present but I’m sure this will be a nice pick-me-up.”

Annually, the Queen always thinned out her string to make way for the next year’s two-year-olds by selling a few older horses and the winning gelding is one of a number of Royal horses which have an entry in the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale at the end of the month.

Meanwhile jump racing at Huntingdon was abandoned after two races because of unsafe ground. A number of jockeys felt their mounts were slipping and the decision was taken after an inspection.

Clerk of the course Roderick Duncan described conditions (dry ground and lush grass) as very challenging at the moment. “I didn’t come into this job to put horses on the floor or jockeys in hospital,” he said. “I have to agree with those of the opinion that it wasn’t safe to continue.”

Ludlow’s first fixture of the season, meant to be today, has been postponed because of an acute shortage of rainfall.