Why was it called the Sport of Kings, when its greatest modern-day fan was a Queen?
Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh watching the races at Randwick
Well, as so often the case in history, this reference even pre-dates Queen Elizabeth II of course, the Oxford explanation puts it back to King Arthur 1691 when more often tagged to hunting before graduating to horse racing.
And it seems almost as many words have been written and uttered about the long and dutiful reign of The Queen herself as her lifelong passion for the horse and racing that associated itself with them.
It was noted that when organising her Coronation in 1953 (the year Wodalla won the Cup for Jack Purtell), she was asked if she wanted a break during the stern ceremony.
"I'll be alright, I'm as strong as a horse," said the then 27-year-old, two years after acceding to the throne when her father King George VI passed.
That constitution saw her through a life of service and 74 unbroken Royal Ascot's until COVID and age finally stepped in back in 2019.
Julian Muscat in his excellent Racing Post piece, unveiled the story behind the Queen's passion, noting her father, having won the 2000 Guineas with Big Game and the fillies' equivalent with Sun Chariot, she was at the stables as a then 16-year-old, in 1942.
"I suppose I first became interested in racing during the War . . . when my father took me down to see Big Game and Sun Chariot working, which I had never seen before. I was able to pat them in the stables afterwards. I had never felt the satiny softness of a thoroughbred before. It is a wonderful feeling," she said in a later BBC documentary.
The story goes that she would not wash her hands for some time afterwards.
And since her passing last week, a litany of racing names have shared their touching tributes to The Queen, and to try and paraphrase them a touch, with the obvious nod to possible misrepresentation, the simple message seems genuine passion, genuine love, genuine interest for the horse first and then those involved.
And that is what will always live on. As racing always does.
While Prince Charles becomes King Charles III, I'm not sure if your nagging little King Charles spaniel gets an update, but the Sport of Kings and Queens is as much for the Beryl and Gordon's of perhaps that era as it is for Noah and Olivia today.
Yes, you can play golf at Royal Melbourne, and countless other courses, go to the Melbourne Royal Show in school holidays, moor that boat at the Royal whatever Yacht Squadron, get your car fixed by the Royal Automobile Club of your state, be looked after at the Royal (insert state) hospital, on it goes, or lob at Royal Randwick.
While an obvious bow to a respect of the past, does it not seem now the Royal moniker of Sydney's famous racetrack, entitled some 30 years now, is as a little outdated as a moving monarchy, as much as racing, and especially Racing NSW's target at a new generation and audience.
Of course you can have both, and this is not the place for a racing referendum, after all, our sport is built on tradition and there is much ado, if there is a proposal of change, but then change is why Australian racing has thrived and prospered and engaged to a challenging outside world, where what tethered itself to the apron strings of "the sport of kings", withers for a future, if not simply a cut through.
And it was a different era when the Australian Jockey Club wrote to Buckingham Palace, seeking "Royal" decree as Queen Elizabeth II opened the Paddock Stand on a visit back in 1992.
An extract from a letter from Kenneth Scott, Deputy Private Secretary to Queen Elizabeth II, to the club reads: "You do not need me to tell you how much The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh enjoyed their visit to the Royal Randwick Racecourse today. Her Majesty was particularly glad that she was able, on this occasion, to legitimise your traditional title of "Royal" and to open a very handsome new Grandstand."
That grandstand was of course rebuilt in 2013 and the course retains the Royal imprimatur.
It is not without a hint of irony that the much esteemed "Royal Ascot" meeting in Berkshire, only holds that title for the now five days in June when the Crown is in presence at the track, for the rest of the year it is simply Ascot.
Does it matter? Perhaps not.
And of course, there is a Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick, as much as there is one at Flemington (Warning won it last year).
Of course, there is one at Royal Ascot, the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, as there is under the name Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland in America and QEII Cups in Hong Kong, Japan, India and Singapore.
A Queen's Plate in Canada and the rotational Queen's Cup in Australia, won by No Compromise at Rosehill in March with the Queen's own horse Chalk Stream third.
Do these become King Charles or King's version? Does it really matter.
There is next to no evidence of such a parental trickle down of interest to the new monarch, but again, does that really matter, and is Australian racing entwined and enthralled to such?
Perhaps the attached observations will do for now, as racing marches on, as life does and will do.
Some snippets:
Aidan O'Brien: "I found it fascinating listening to all her observations and ways of thinking, and one thing I found especially interesting was how she looked at a horse.
"When introduced to a horse, everyone generally watches the way they walk, looking how they move, but that was never the first thing she did. She would instead let them walk by and just listen to the sound of their walk."
Chris Waller, (who trained Chalk Stream for the Queen): "She was curious, interested and involved, and knew her racing inside and out. She was an avid follower of sport, racing and people.
"The Queen was very worldly and kept an eye on Australian racing whether it was Black Caviar or Winx. She was amazed by them and amazed by Winx."
Gai Waterhouse (who trained Carlton House): "She loved her horses and her racing. It was one of the great passions of her life and when she was around horses, she could be herself.
"But her life was about duty – for her nation, the Government and Commonwealth."
There is Peter Moody's typical recollections and that highlighted here before strapper Paddy Bell breaking protocol asking The Queen "do you wanna give her a pat?"
But then is there anything more really Australian than the Queen Elizabeth II Bicentennial Stakes put on in Canberra before the Queen, the Prime Minister Bob Hawke and the fans in 1988.
Beau Zam v Bonecrusher. Princess Anne had ridden Beau Zam in trackwork before the race.
Queen Elizabeth II left a lasting impression on some of the biggest names in our sport… ✨ pic.twitter.com/gCAa8g7pim — World Horse Racing (@WHR) September 9, 2022
"Can't say any more, She gave me a wink," Cummings said of The Queen pre-race.
"She's a very gracious lady."
So, leave it to Les Carlyon to finish: "The Queen Elizabeth, as good a race as you will see (won by Beau Zam), was a rebuff to those who think the Crown has trained off, that the royalty bit, rather like straight backed jockeys, is out of time and place."
"Here we are in Canberra, which is to high class racing what Alice Springs is to international sculling. And on a Sunday too."
"Here were three of the best horses in the land, collectively they had won $4m, they were going around for just $65,000 to the winner. What brought them? The Queen, Simple as that."
No need for the addendum, long live the Queen, the sport, racing, will live longer as she, as we, love it.
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