Queen Mother's Secret Racing Passion

18 September 2009

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Britain's Queen Mother had a special horse racing news system installed in her home.

The late Queen Elizabeth was such an avid follower of the sport, she insisted a specialist sound system be installed into Clarence House so she never missed a second of updates.

Her biographer William Shawcross wrote: "She had a loudspeaker system installed in Clarence House such as usually exists only in betting shops, to relay minute-by-minute news from racetracks around the country."

She had a loudspeaker system installed in Clarence House such as usually exists only in betting shops, to relay minute-by-minute news from racetracks around the country.

Elizabeth's worst time as a horse owner was in 1950 when her beloved animal Monaveen - who she co-owned with the then-Princess Elizabeth - had to be put down when it fell and broke its leg during a race.

William said: "The Queen was devastated. She longed to weep but, being in public, she could not, she felt her voice cracking as she tried to control her emotion."

She later wrote to her daughter, saying: "It seemed so sad that such a gallant and great-hearted horse should have to be put to rest."

In 1956, her horse Devon Loch failed to win the prestigious Grand National, despite having a clear lead for much of the race but the queen mother refused to let her frustrations show.

She reportedly said: "I must go down and comfort those poor people," before telling jockey Dick Francis: "Please don't be upset. That's racing."

However, her biography notes: "She never liked to speak of the incident again".

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