Memories of QEII: Wesley Ward learns what he should not do

Ahead of the first renewal of Royal Ascot since the death last summer of Queen Elizabeth II, trainer Wesley Ward spoke on Horse Racing Nation’s Ron Flatter Racing Pod about an experience he had 10 years ago sharing a long conversation with Her Majesty after one of his 12 wins there. What he said this month has been lightly edited here for exposition and clarity of the subject matter.

I spent so much time with Queen Elizabeth over the years. All my children have met her. We sat in the royal box at Ascot, where my kids and I were with her and watched races together.

I was invited up there right after No Nay Never won the 2013 Norfolk Stakes (G2). I got summoned by the Queen to come, and I spent one whole race with her. It was an experience that I’ll never forget.

The day before I had Sweet Emma Rose, a filly owned by Gatewood Bell, in the Queen Mary (G2). We all went out that night and celebrated her second-place finish in a 23-horse field. We had Gatewood’s bunch over from Hat Creek Racing in Kentucky, and so I had more wine than I probably should have.

The next day we were leading into the Norfolk, and we won. Because of the wine the night before, I had a beer or two after the race, and then I got summoned up to the Queen. I thought, “God, I can’t.” But yes, I had to go, and off we went upstairs.

I sat down with her, and beside her was the trophy for the Gold Cup. She presents two trophies every year. One is the Gold Cup, and the other is the Diamond Jubilee on the last day. That’s it.

We started talking, I was a little nervous, and she just started firing questions at me. She was like some avid racing fan or some lady who has been going to the races forever. You’re answering her questions, just firing them right back at her, and pretty soon she just makes you feel so comfortable. I was up there with her for 30 minutes, and I was only answering questions that she was giving me.

As we were talking back and forth, she had TVs down at the bottom of her feet. She called me by my first name when she said, “Wesley, for the last 50 years, I really want to make it a point to see the races live, but I find myself drawn to these big screens. It’s almost like you’re right there on the horses watching them with the jockeys.”

We were going back and forth, and the following race is the Gold Cup. As we’re talking, I see a guy who’s all dressed up with his hat, and he’s got his big white gloves. He goes to take the Gold Cup trophy, and as he picks it up, I see her eyes follow the guy.

She’s still talking to me, so I reached over, and I tapped her on her knee and I said, “Listen, I said they’re going to bring that trophy right back here to you. You’ve got Estimate in the race, and you’re going to win it.”

She looks at me and says, “Do you really think so?”

I grabbed her knee and said, “They’re going to bring it right here.”

And that was what happened. Estimate got up by a neck, and it was her first time winning the Gold Cup.

But as I looked behind me before the race, as the guy getting the trophy walks up, I see all the people that are standing behind us had their mouths open.

I didn’t know you’re not supposed to touch the Queen.

That’s an experience I’ll never forget.