As The World Celebrate Queen’s Seventieth Jubilee, Stoute’s Crown Wins Derby

This weekend has been an historic one for us in the UK but really, for the whole world as the celebrations of Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee took place. Aidan O’Brien broke yet another record by winning the most number of British classic races ever with Tuesday in the Oaks. Sir Michael Stoute took the Derby in emphatic style with Desert Crown.

The magnificence of the British ceremonial pageantry was on full display for H. M The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.  The nation, nay, the world celebrated The Monarch’s seventy years on the throne over four days. Days, which in Great Britain were full of joy and thanks for a single person who has given so much to the nation and the world in the dedication of Her whole life to others.

The events kicked off with the Trooping The Colour, a military parade in London celebrating the Monarch’s official birthday. This year was extra special for two reasons, the first, obviously it was the start of the platinum jubilee celebrations, but secondly, it was the first time the parade could be held in London for three years due to the covid pandemic. Buckingham Palace announced that The Queen would not attend the parade in person due to her mobility difficulties at the age of 96, but She would appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Prince Charles took her place to take the salute at the parade as Her representative. It was the first time The Queen missed the parade in Her reign. The last time the monarch missed the Trooping The Colour parade was in 1951, when The Queen stood in for her father King George VI as he was too weak to attend himself. Following the parade, The Queen with all the ‘working’ members of the Royal Family appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch the special flypast of 70 aircraft. The crowds, ten deep along the Mall were allowed to travel up to the Palace for a better view. There must have been well over 100,000 well-wishers, all of whom enjoyed the spectacle of the flypast, but more especially to see their monarch looking well and happy.

In the evening, Her Majesty lit a beacon at Windsor Castle, the first of some 1600 beacons of fire to be lit throughout the land, but that was a fraction of the total number lit throughout the world and especially the 54 members of the Commonwealth countries.

The second day of celebrations started with a service of thanksgiving at St Pauls Cathedral, sadly missed by The Queen as Her exertions on the first day had left her even less mobile than normal. Again Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales represented his Mother at the service – again full of pomp and circumstance with rousing music, hymns, prayers and poems of thanksgiving. Just a few hours later, at Epsom, the third British classic of the season was run; The Oaks. This is a race for three year old fillies only and is over 1 ½ miles over the testing Epsom Downs course.

The Oaks had eleven runners lining up before the starter, and on paper certainly, this looked quite an open race. The betting had Emily Upjohn as quite a hot favourite after her explosive win of the Musidora Stakes at York in May. The second favourite, Nashwa was ridden by Holly Doyle and looking to be the first female rider to win a classic – with some decent chance. Both fillies are trained by John and Thady Gosden.  Aiden O’Brien was also looking to collect his tenth Oaks winner as well as breaking the record

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