Never Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth

There has never been a better PR year for the monarchy than 2011 thus far to my mind. Love them or loathe them they have got it spot on. The Royal Wedding, the event not the 4/1 winning horse on the day, went to perfection. There was lots of class on show but also lots of humility and respect of the times these Isles face, economically. Then onto the serious stuff of the Queens visit to Ireland. A visit Obama’s Secret Service and scores of organisers would be proud of. There was much symbolism and gesture but more importantly there was effort and meaning on the part of QEII.

Thirty years ago the Derby was won by the mighty Shergar. The most impressive winner of the greatest test of the thoroughbred. Class, speed, stamina, balance and courage are all tested on the Epsom Downs to produce the best middle distance 3 year old horse each year. There is one major omission from the 13 declared runners this year, Frankel. A horse who blew us all away in the 2000 Guineas. For many reasons Henry Cecil does not send his machine to the Derby. The main one being he has little to gain and much to lose at chancing staying a mile and a half, another that stamina is not as valuable in the stallion profile as it once was. The Derby however does not lack in narrative. The Queen has a runner.