The Queen’s hopes of becoming the first ruling English monarch to win the Epsom Derby since Edward VII in 1909 have receded further as her racing manager admitted there was a chance Carlton House might not run at Epsom on Saturday.
Carlton House, a gift as a yearling to Queen Elizabeth from the ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed, was diagnosed on Wednesday as having strained ankle ligaments.
The Queen’s racing manager John Warren said the decision on whether the three-year-old colt, winner of two of his three starts including the key Derby trial the Dante Stakes earlier this month, runs in the blue riband of the turf will be taken on Friday.
“We’ve got the next few days to see if it (the ankle strain) is cooling itself down – that’s going to be key,” Warren said.
“The good thing is the horse is sound and he’s moving well.
“Luckily, we’ve got the most experienced trainer in the country (Sir Michael Stoute) and the best rider (Ryan Moore) in the country.
“We’ve got a chance (of running). It’s not without a possibility that he’ll stand in the line-up.
“He won’t run unless the trainer is completely content that he’s sound.
“By Friday we’ll know more.”
While Queen Elizabeth has visited the winners’ enclosure at Epsom for the Oaks with Dunfermline in 1977, the Derby is the only English classic to elude her.
The closest she came was second in 1953 with Aureole.
Carlton House, named after a now destroyed residence of George IV when he was Prince Regent in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, would have raced for Sheikh Mohammed but for his generously offering the horse along with three others to the Queen in return for her refusing payment for a horse of hers he had wanted prior to that.
Some bookmakers have replaced Carlton House as favourite with Pour Moi, trained by master French handler Andre Fabre for whom the Derby remains the outstanding blot on his copybook as he is yet to win it.
AFP AAP TURF
