Chief Stipe Posted June 22, 2023 Share Posted June 22, 2023 Emotional King Charles on verge of tears after first Royal Ascot winner – and knocks over trophy Tom Cary 07:16, Jun 23 2023 An emotional King Charles was on the verge of tears and knocked over the winner’s trophy in excitement as he celebrated his first ever winner at Royal Ascot. Desert Hero, an 18-1 shot, won a thrilling King George V Stakes on Thursday (local time), sending the 60,000-plus capacity crowd at Ascot into raptures and getting His Majesty off the mark at the famous festival. Niece Zara Tindall described the moment as “bittersweet but incredible” for the Royal family, imagining how excited her grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, would have been. The King and Queen were visibly moved by the occasion as Queen Camilla wiped away tears of joy, with King Charles pictured displaying his emotion. Located in the royal box, they celebrated with gusto before descending to the winners’ enclosure to congratulate jockey Tom Marquand and thank trainer William Haggas. The King then knocked over the trophy, which was standing on the plinth, before grinning and picking it back up with assistance from the Duke of Kent. It was the King’s first winner of the week, having come up short in three races so far on Tuesday and Wednesday.Marquand, wearing the now familiar purple, gold braid and scarlet colours, had to do it the hard way, frequently finding his path blocked and having to force his way through numerous gaps. But he timed his run perfectly, pipping Valiant King on the line. King Charles III and Queen Camilla celebrate after the King's horse, Desert Hero, ridden by Tom Marquand wins the King George V Stakes on day three of Royal Ascot. The Princess Royal, and Zara and Mike Tindall, were also in attendance, with Zara describing the moment as “bittersweet” for the Royal family given her grandmother’s famous passion for horse racing. “It’s bittersweet, isn’t it?” she said. “To think how proud and excited our grandmother, the Queen, would have been. “But to have a winner for Charles and Camilla, and keep that dream alive, was incredible. And what a race. Besides all that. What a race. I was standing with Sheikh Fahad and the horses were either side, bullying their way up to the line. It was incredible. “Like all those owners who come here and have a horse win, having that dream, that hope, and actually fulfilling it, is incredible. The horses are the main game, really. That’s why we get involved and love them, and the competition. That adrenalin. It’s indescribable.” Courage Mon Ami ridden by Frankie Dettori, left on their way to winning the Gold Cup, with Coltrane ridden by Oisin Murphy placing second, on day three of Royal Ascot. ‘My proudest moment in the saddle’ There was a neat bit of symmetry in the timing of the win. Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953 and landed her first winner at Royal Ascot two weeks and four days later, on June 17, courtesy of Choir Boy, trained by Cecil Boyd-Rochfort and ridden by Doug Smith, in the Royal Hunt Cup. The King’s win came six weeks and five days after his coronation on May 6. Marquand, a 25-year-old who is married to fellow jockey Holly Doyle, told ITV Racing it was his proudest moment in the saddle. “Genuinely probably my proudest moment in the saddle so far. I grew up watching horses winning for Her Majesty the Queen so to win for the King is dreamworld... Royal Ascot is the pinnacle and riding a royal winner at a royal meeting is great.” The King knocked over the trophy, which was standing on the plinth, before grinning and picking it back up with assistance from the Duke of Kent. The King, who five days earlier rode on horseback during Trooping of the Colour, marking the first time the reigning monarch has done so since 1986, when Queen Elizabeth II last rode, will have two more chances for a winner this week. © 2023 Stuff Limited Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doomed Posted June 22, 2023 Share Posted June 22, 2023 It was certainly an impressive win. Would have been very unlucky if it hadn't got up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted June 22, 2023 Author Share Posted June 22, 2023 12 minutes ago, Doomed said: It was certainly an impressive win. Would have been very unlucky if it hadn't got up. Yeah I had to watch it five times to work out where it came from. The Jockey has black cap red sleeves and is inside the horse in the green colours turning for home. Gets laid on and held up and the Jockey ducks down closer to the rail late in the race. Top effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted June 23, 2023 Author Share Posted June 23, 2023 http://www.racing.com/videos/2023-06-24/tom-marquand-reflects-on-his-victory-for-king-charles-iii Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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