Racing queen seeks Magic Millions Platinum Jubilee celebration

Racetrack royalty Gai Waterhouse is hoping her latest runner, named in honour of Queen Elizabeth, can pull off a win in the Australian summer’s biggest horse race.

Trainee jockey Emma Ly with Platinum Jubilee, keen to give her rivals a Magic Millions licking. Picture: Glenn Hunt

Racetrack royalty Gai Waterhouse is hoping her latest promising filly, named in honour of Queen Elizabeth, can pull off what would be a touching win on summer’s biggest race day on Saturday.

The aptly named Platinum ­Jubilee has been well backed and Waterhouse said she was glad to be training a horse named in honour of the late Queen and hopeful some divine luck could help the horse to victory.

Waterhouse was herself an invited guest at the Queen’s official Platinum Jubilee celebrations last February – marking her 70 years on the throne – as well as her ­funeral in September.

“We were very blessed to have been commanded to go to the royal funeral,” Waterhouse told The Weekend Australian. “It was amazing to be involved in the jubilee in the same year. We were in England for quite a bit last year.”

Waterhouse met the Queen on several occasions and was a guest in the royal box at the prestigious Royal Ascot race meeting.

She also trained the Queen’s horse, Carlton House, after its successful career in the UK from 2010 to 2014.

Asked if a win for Platinum ­Jubilee in the Magic Millions 2-Year-Old Classic on Saturday would be a touching tribute to the Queen in the year after her death, Waterhouse said: “You hope, don’t you.”

Platinum Jubilee was bought by a syndicate including New Zealand philanthropist Owen Glenn for $600,000 at the Magic Millions yearling sale last year and has won one race and finished second in another.

“I think whatever beats her will win the race,” Waterhouse said.

“She’s the dominant filly, she’s the dominant two-year-old, and they’ve got to beat her to win the race. She’s very smart, very good.”

The filly was put through her paces for a final warm-up on Friday morning by trainee jockey Emma Ly but will be ridden on Saturday by Group 1-winning hoop Regan Bayliss.

If Platinum Jubilee wins, she will do so in front of the Queen’s granddaughter, Zara Tindall, who will attend the race day as a Magic Millions ambassador.

At the time of the funeral, Waterhouse spoke about her relationship with the Queen, who shared a famous love of horses and racing.

“I met Her Majesty on a number of occasions and trained Carlton House for her,” Waterhouse said. “She loved her horses and her racing. It was one of the great passions of her life and when she was around horses, she could be herself.”

Waterhouse and co-trainer Adrian Bott have three runners in the Classic, including another ­regally named colt in Royal ­Entrance and filly Summer Loving.