Did Queen Elizabeth II once have a runner in the Melbourne Cup?

The late Queen Elizabeth II, who died on September 8, 2022, aged 96, was the longest-serving monarch of the United Kingdom. Her Majesty was also, arguably, the most enthusiastic Royal owner, breeder and racegoer in British history. A regular attendee at the Derby at Epsom and, of course, Royal Ascot – where she celebrated 24 winners as an owner, including Estimate in a historic Gold Cup in 2013 – won every British Classic except the Derby.

As an owner, the Queen was not averse to the occasional foray abroad. In June 1974, for example, she was in attendance at Chantilly Racecourse, in Northern France, to witness the victory of Highclere, trained by Dick Hern and ridden by Joe Mercer, in the Prix de Diane, or “French Oaks”. The Queen’s Hussar filly had already won the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket, but opted for an extended mile and a quarter at Chantilly, rather than a mile and a half at Epsom.

Her Majesty did, in fact, make one attempt to win the most important Australian race, the Melbourne Cup. On November 4, 1997, the familiar Royal colours – scarlet and purple with gold braid and a black cap – were worn by Lanfranco “Frankie” Dettori aboard Arabian Story, trained by Lord Huntingdon, William Hastings-Bass, in West Ilsley, Berkshire. Sent off at 25/1 for ‘the race that stops a nation’, the four-year-old son of high-class miler Sharrood never really threatened at Flemington Racecourse, but nonetheless kept on well throughout the final quarter of a mile to finish sixth, beaten 3½ lengths, behind the winner Might And Power.