SURREY, England (CU)_Queen Elizabeth is an avid fan of horse racing, having spent a lifetime watching and riding horses. Therefore, the recent news coming from the Epsom Downs will be disappointing for her to hear.
Given the monarch’s passion for horses, the equestrian world was expected to play a major role in her Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Three of her thoroughbreds were due to compete in the Epsom Derby, an event honouring Her Majesty’s 70-year reign on the throne on 4 June. However, it has now been reported that all of them will miss the classic, including her main contender for the Derby, Reach For The Moon, who failed to recover from an injury sustained last autumn. The colt, who won the Solario Stakes at Sandown Park last August, sustained an injury in late-September that ruled him out for the remainder of last year. However, it was not expected to prevent him from running in 2022. The horse’s joint trainer, John Godsen, said this week the thoroughbred had failed to sufficiently recovered and would therefore miss the Derby at Epsom.
“Following a setback last autumn, Reach For The Moon has been given all the time and care he requires in his training programme,” he told The Racing Post. “We had planned to run him in the Dante Stakes at York next week. However, in the best interests of [the] horse we have decided that this race is coming too soon for him. Consequently, he will not run in the Derby and will be pointed towards Royal Ascot.”
Meanwhile, he Queen’s other two entries in this year’s race, Educator and General Idea, were “scratched” off by the Jockey Club when it announced the list of horses in the running. Nevertheless, both horses were already priced up as big outsiders, with Educator at 40-1 and General Idea at 66-1.