An 80th birthday present to the late Queen Elizabeth II enabled the monarch to enjoy one of her most memorable days in racing. The victory of Estimate, carrying the royal colours to victory in the 2013 Ascot Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, has become an enduring highlight of the world renowned fixture. The joyous scenes in the royal box as the Queen became the first reigning monarch to win the historic race were captured by the TV cameras.
Estimate, who was trained by Sir Michael Stoute and ridden by Ryan Moore, had been bred by the Aga Khan. He gifted the filly to the Queen on the occasion of her 80th birthday. The Aga Khan, one of the world’s most successful owner-breeders, died on Tuesday in Lisbon, aged 88. His contribution to the sport and friendship with Queen Elizabeth was acknowledged by John Warren, who was her racing advisor until her death in September 2022 and now holds the same role for King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Warren ranked the day of Estimate’s Gold Cup triumph one of the late Queen’s “most enjoyable” on a racecourse and is in no doubt as to the contribution the Aga Khan made to the thoroughbred breed as a whole, carefully nurturing his foundation families over the years. The Aga Khan’s best known horse was the ill-fated Shergar, one of his five winners of the Derby at Epsom. In a statement to the PA News Agency, Warren said: “His Highness was remarkable, in that he was single-minded in his quest to breed top-class horses.
“Three days before the late Queen died, we sat and watched the video of the 100 years celebration of the Aga Khan Studs. “Her Majesty remarked how amazing he was, along with his scientific approach to breeding and rearing stock and, of course, Estimate’s success in the Gold Cup gave the Queen one of her most enjoyable day’s racing. “The Aga’s hugely successful bloodlines are likely to continue to enhance the modern-day thoroughbred for many generations to come. We have been very lucky to have had his contribution to the breed.”.
The Aga Khan Studs encompasses properties in both Ireland and France, with his daughter Princess Zahra a successful owner-breeder in her own right and who currently leads the management team. Her brother, Rahim Al-Hussaini, was named the new Aga Khan on Wednesday evening as he was designated as the Aga Khan V, the 50th hereditary imam of the Ismaili Muslims, in his father’s will. Get our daily royal round-up direct to your inbox.
