There are high hopes The Queen could lead in her first Derby winner at Epsom next year. Co-incidentally, the race will take place during celebrations for her Platinum Jubilee. Way back in 1953, the week of her coronation, The Queen came closest to winning the blue riband event when Aureole bred by her late father King George VI finished second to Pinza.
The horse of the moment is Reach for The Moon, a product of the Queen’s breeding operation, who ran out an easy winner of the Gr3 Betway Solario Stakes at Sandown last Saturday. He subsequently earned quotes of around 14/1 for the Derby next June.
Her Majesty The Queen – eye on the 2022 Epsom Derby (Pic- Epsom Racecourse)
The only colt in front of the Gosden trained runner in the ante-post Derby betting is Aidan O’Brien’s Point Lonsdale, who finished half a length in front of Reach for The Moon in the seven-furlong Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.
“You’ve got to look towards the autumn now and we’d like to wind up in one of those nice Group 1’s,” said Gosden. “We’ll see how he is over the next few days and make our decisions. He’s very progressive and showed a bit of class I thought.”
The Queen’s bloodstock and racing adviser John Warren pinpointed the Gr2 Champagne Stake and the Gr1 Vertem Futurity Trophy over a mile, as potential targets this year for the royal winner.
Warren said: “On face value he should be staying a mile and a half but his dam [Golden Stream] was very fast and this horse is built in such a strong way that it’s not surprising he has the toe he has. It’s an interesting debate and we’ll watch things unfold. Her Majesty is clearly delighted to have a horse like this.”
Dettori took no chances on the son of Derby winner Sea The Stars, taking the lead inside the last two furlongs before sauntering clear.
“He’s got a wonderful stride and he’s got gears,” said the winning rider. “He’s a very exciting prospect. He’s learning the whole time and I suspect you’ll probably see him out another couple of times before the end of the season. He’s a good size and you’d expect him to train on.”
“He was quite babyish at the beginning of his career,” Dettori said, “[but] with racing he is getting better and better. Today, he stopped his antics a little bit and he was focusing better.”
“I was a bit concerned about the slow pace at the beginning, so I sent him for home a long way out. Normally I wouldn’t do that, but I didn’t want to sit and sprint as he is such a big horse. He went through the gears and put daylight between them and felt good on top.”
Point Lonsdale confirmed the strength of the Royal Ascot form-line with Reach for The Moon when recording a comfortable success in the Gr2 Futurity Stakes at the Curragh on Saturday evening. He made most of the running under Ryan Moore to win easily and maintain his unbeaten record.
