The Duke Of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, had the great honour of presenting the winning trophy to Her Majesty The Queen after her horse Estimate won the Group 3 Queen’s Vase (2 mile) on day four at Royal Ascot.
This was the Queen’s first venture to the Royal Ascot winner’s enclosure since Free Agent won the Chesham Stakes in 2008 and she was received by a rapturous ovation.
The Sir Michael Stoute trained Estimate was a runaway winner in the end for Ryan Moore and finished strongly at the end of the two mile to score by five lengths from Athens with Ed De Gas one and a half lengths away in third spot.
“It’s a great thing to have a Royal Ascot winner for the Queen. We’d hoped to do it with Carlton House, but we’ve done it here. I think the whole country would have appreciated a victory for Her Majesty,” Stoute said.
“It was great to come here with chances for Her Majesty. There was more pressure with Carlton House. The Queen is delighted.”
“She’s bred to stay. She’s out of a real Aga Khan staying family with a Gold Cup winner in it and I felt after Salisbury she could be a Vase filly. She’s improved in her work of late and she’s come and done it nicely.”
“We thought this filly might go well if she stayed, but I think if she had not been owned by the Queen she would have only been sixth favourite in the betting.”
The three year old filly started the 3-1 favourite at her third race start and came to Royal Ascot after winning the Betfred “Double Delight” EBF Maiden Stakes (1 mile 4 furlongs) at Salisbury on May 6.
Stoute will take his time with Estimate and is not in a hurry to step the filly up to Group 1 level at this stage until she proves she is ready to tackle the harder grade.
“I wouldn’t have thought so at this stage. We will just have to see how she progresses,” Stoute said.
Trainer John Gosden and jockey William Buick took the honours on day four with a winning treble, including the Group 1 £250,000 Coronation Stakes for Fillies over 1 mile with 12-1 chance Fallen For You.
Their other winners were Newfangled in the Group 3 Albany Stakes for Fillies over 6 furlongs and 3-1 favourite Gatewood in the Listed Wolferton Handicap (1 mile 2 furlongs).
