A ROYAL HISTORY
Our passion is horseracing. We support everything and everyone involved in racing; from the yard to the racecourse. Governed by Royal Charter it’s our mission to act for the long term good of British racing in everything we do, with every penny of profit we make reinvested back into the sport.
Racing and royalty have been intertwined throughout the sport’s illustrious history, but never as closely and as intimately as during the lifetime of Queen Elizabeth II, whose passion for and contribution to the industry was unmatched.
On becoming Queen in 1952, she inherited the Royal Studs and her father’s bloodstock interests, but she had already tasted success as an owner. Her first runner took to the track when she was just 23 in October 1949, when Astrakhan, given to her as a foal as a wedding present by the Aga Khan, finished second at Ascot.
Queen Elizabeth II was a patron of both The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association and also received two of the most prestigious awards in racing, taking the Cartier Millennium Award of Merit in 2000 and the Sir Peter O’Sullevan Charitable Trust Award in 2002.
As our Patron, she shared many unforgettable moments with us that will forever hold a special place in our history.
KING CHARLES III AND QUEEN CAMILLA BECOME JOINT PATRONS OF THE JOCKEY CLUB
The Jockey Club is delighted to announce the appointment of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen as its joint Patrons.
Both Their Majesties are Honorary Members of The Jockey Club and succeed The late Queen Elizabeth II, who was Patron of the organisation for 68 years, from 1954 until her death in September 2022.
