I recall my favorite author, Dick Francis was the Queen Mothers champion jockey in the early 1950’s. I read that she had a passion for the sport her entire life. Not only attending races, but she was also interested in their training too.
Since her death, I’ve wondered if the Royal Stables are still active? Are they training new champions?
I found this article that says the Queen entered one of her mothers horses in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
I know Dick Francis was a steeplechase rider. Did the Queen Mother also run horses on the flats?
The Queen Mother was always focussed on national hunt racing while the Queen bred and owned flat racers. I think it is only recently QE2 has owned jumpers.
Certainly the Royal Stables are still active and Her Maj is a very keen on racing. According tothis siteshe has 25 horses in training and two stallions at stud (doesn’t say about mares she owns).
Dick Francis had a lot of kind things to say about the Queen Mother in his bio. He said that she often talked directly with him and the trainers when he rode for her. She was very much an involved owner.
I’m sure the royal family’s interest has been a benefit for racing.
I’m not really a racing fan but my understanding is that the Queen is also a very involved owner who takes a very direct interest in her horses - both in training and standing at stud.
Actually most of what I know comes from Dick Francis books
A book I recently read on the British monarchy confirms that HM is still involved in horse breeding, training and racing. She has some horses stabled in Kentucky, and occasionally visits there on very-low-profile trips.
“The Royal Pigeon Racing Association is the premier organisation that represents the sport of pigeon racing in England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar. The sport has been linked to Royalty since the early part of the last century and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, our patron, maintains Royal Lofts at Sandringham.”
