Queen gasps in horror as Ascot royal runner produces dismal finish

The Queen was desperate for Gilded Water to win the race

Credit: Jason Dawson

The Queen could not hide her disappointment as the first royal runner at Royal Ascot came in a dismal 12th place.

Gasping in horror,the Queen raised a clasped fist in frustration,dismay etched on her face.

Gilded Water,owned by both the King and Queen,was a favourite to win the King George V Stakes,with the jockey Tom Marquand donning the royals’ red and purple silks for the first time this week.

Before the race,the King and Queen were spotted giving Marquand a pep talk alongside John Warren,their racing manager.

The couple then watched the race from the royal box,increasingly despondent as their horse dropped further and further back,their hopes of a winner dashed.

The King and Queen watched on nervously

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The Queen’s reaction,in particular,leaves little doubt about her passion for the sport.

The King,too,is said to have grown increasingly fond of racing since inheriting Elizabeth II’s thoroughbreds and,like his late mother before him,is said to use an iPad to watch her mares give birth at Sandringham’s royal stud.

Last year’s event marked their first as King and Queen and they were visibly emotional when their horse Desert Hero won the King George V Stakes,their first Royal Ascot winner as owners.

In this year’s programme,they described the “thrill” of having a winner and the “immense pleasure and joy” they took in Desert Hero’s victory,“particularly as he was bred by Her late Majesty”.

The Queen could not hide her disappointment

Credit: Max Mumby

The couple were greeted with huge cheers on Thursday as they led the traditional carriage procession into the parade ring for the third day of the prestigious meeting,Ladies’ Day.

Their Majesties were joined in their carriage by close friends the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire,who are heavily involved in horse racing. The Duke served as Elizabeth II’s representative at Ascot from 1980 until 2011.

The Queen wore a white silk crepe Dior dress,with the late Queen’s Ladies of India emerald brooch,which originally belonged to Queen Mary,and a Philip Treacy hat.

The King,making a welcome return having missed Wednesday’s meet,looked delighted to be back,doffing his hat to acknowledge the rousing three cheers that followed the national anthem.

Charles III arrives at Ascot

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Following behind were the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh,accompanied by the Earl of Snowdon and Princess Zahra Aga Khan,the Aga Khan’s daughter,who is a huge fan of the sport and is heavily involved in her father’s racing empire.

In the third carriage were the Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence,with Lady Sarah Chatto and her husband,Daniel Chatto.

Zara and Mike Tindall were in the fourth carriage,alongside the Duke and Duchess of Richmond and Gordon,the owners of the Goodwood Estate in Sussex.

The King could not resist admiring the Windsor Greys and having a chat with the coachman before making his way down the receiving line,led by Sir Francis Brooke,the chairman of Ascot and His Majesty’s representative.

The event marked the Queen’s third consecutive day at the races. The King,who is still undergoing cancer treatment,was making his second appearance.

The Princess Royal and her daughter Zara,both former Olympic equestrians,have been at Ascot every day,although it was the Tindalls’ first appearance in the carriage procession.

‘I’ve come as an English rose’

One racegoer was sporting a replica owl,with its wings spread,as a hat,while another wore a wide-brimmed lattice design she peered through. One woman chose a collection of children’s toys on a faux grassy bank for her headwear.

Gemma Mattison,41,from Birmingham donned a large red rose as a hat and said she wanted to make a statement on Ladies’ Day.

“I always have a classic look when I come to Royal Ascot,but this time I thought I’d go all out – it’s now or never,” she said. “So I’ve come as an English rose.”

Among the other celebrities presenting prizes were the actress Celia Imrie and Blackadder star Tim McInnerny.

The King and Queen presented the prestigious Gold Cup.