Mullins part of procession as King and Queen attend Royal Ascot

PA Sport Reporters
June 20, 2023 1:38 pm

Champion jumps trainer one of a number of racing figures in royal carriages.

Willie Mullins featured in the carriage procession as the King and Queen both attended day one of Royal Ascot.

It is the first Royal meeting to take place since the death of the late Queen in September.

The King and Queen, whose coronation took place last month, are set to be represented across the week and they wrote a message on the opening page of Tuesday’s official racecard.

It said: “We are delighted to welcome you to Royal Ascot in this, the year of our coronation. Five days of highly competitive racing will again be watched and enjoyed by millions, both here and abroad.

“We are happy in the knowledge that this historic race meeting continues to be a key influence on the global racing and breeding industries.”

Willie Mullins and Ralph Beckett arriving at Ascot (John Walton/PA)

The late Queen was famed for her love of racing and barely missed a day of the meeting, enjoying numerous winners at the fixture over the many years of her reign.

A photographic exhibition in the Ascot grandstand celebrates her relationship with the track and Saturday’s sprint feature has been renamed in her honour.

The message, signed by Charles R and Camilla R, added: “The Royal meeting always played a central role in Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s calendar and the naming of the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes will be a most appropriate way to mark this lifelong interest.”

Star Sports had favoured white or cream for the Queen’s hat on the first day, while Boylesports had made pink the evens favourite.

The first-named proved correct as the Queen favoured an ivory shade, with the procession receiving its habitual warm reception at the paddock.

Willie Mullins and Ralph Beckett were part of the procession (Molly Hunter/PA)

Mullins, who was joined by his wife Jackie, was one of a number of racing figures in the procession, with the pair sharing a carriage with Classic-winning trainer Ralph Beckett and his wife Izzi.

The Closutton handler took the Irish champion trainer crown for a 17th time last term, a season which also saw him send out his 4,000th winner and claim the Cheltenham Gold Cup for a third time with Galopin Des Champs.

Lady Bamford, fresh from her Oaks success with homebred Soul Sister earlier in the month, was in the third carriage along with her husband Lord Bamford and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.