Lady Cecil carried on Sir Henry’s great record at Royal Ascot by sending Riposte (9/2) out to win the Ribblesdale Stakes, just over a week after he passed away. Tom Queally asked the filly for her effort over a furlong from home and she responded with a good burst of speed that her rivals could not match. She ran out a comfortable winner by two and a quarter lengths.
Her Majesty the Queen then became the first reigning monarch to win the Gold Cup when her runner Estimate (7/2f), trained by Sir Michael Stoute, took the prize. The filly had a real battle with Simenon and Top Trip in the final furlong and just prevailed by a neck. The result gave great delight to Her Majesty and she received the Gold Cup, which she usually presents, from her son Prince Andrew, Duke of York.
Bookmakers got some respite in the Britannia Stakes after paying out on some well-backed horse in the earlier races because Roca Tumu was the winner at 20/1. Tariki (33/1), Queensberry Rules (16/1), and Wentworth (7/2f) filled the places in behind.
But the bookies suffered again in the Tercentenary Stakes when the strongly fancied Remote (9/4f) took the honours for John Gosden and William Buick. At the start of June Remote was winning a Class 2 Handicap at Doncaster and before that a maiden stakes at Newbury.
Her Majesty was not able to make it a double on the day as favourite Bold Sniper was unable to get to the winner Elidor (20/1) (Mick Channon) in the King George V Stakes. Elidor gave jockey Martin Harley his first Royal Ascot winner and he showed his elation as he passed the winning post.
Surprisingly, the award for nonsense phrase of the day on Channel 4 Racing went not to Brix Smith but Clare Balding for her assertion that “you cannot predict history” in the aftermath of the Queen’s Gold Cup win.
