Estimate lights up Gold Cup day with victory for Her Majesty at Royal Ascot
Sir Michael Stoute's stamina-laden warrior fought tooth and nail for Royal Ascot glory
AS the challengers queued up from all corners of the globe, she stuck out her neck to fend them off.
And no matter how hard they tried, they had no answer. Estimate, as brave an animal as had ever lined up at Royal Ascot, battled in grim determination to become the Queen's first ever winner of the Gold Cup.
The day was surely scripted. A royal winner in the most prestigious race of Royal Ascot with the Queen watching from on high? This was wild imagination.
And yet there she was, thundering down the Ascot home straight, refusing to be shaken.
As the suitors lined up, it was Colour Vision who was the first to try and wrestle the prize away. The Godolphin grey, a former winner of the race himself, went into the lead rounding the home turn and soon found himself three lengths clear.
Yet as quickly as he was gone, he was caught. And with a furlong to go, Estimate hit the front. Roared on by the crowd, jockey Ryan Moore drove his partner on.
Simenon was the next to have a crack. Willie Mullins' dual code superstar was coming into the race off the back of a decent showing in the Chester Cup, but everyone knew he'd have to improve if he was to challenge for Group 1 glory.
But there's a reason Mullins is the greatest trainer of his generation. The horse did improve, by 8lbs to be exact, and he thundered down the outside to give Estimate the eyeball.
But still she would not give in. Even when French challenger Top Tug came from the other side of Berkshire to press his claim, she kept on fighting. And slowly, the fairytale became a reality.
The 2013 Gold Cup result
1. ESTIMATE 7-2F
2. Simenon 5-1
3. Top Trip 7-1
4. Colour Vision 12-1
5. Altano 16-1
6. El Salvador 16-1
7. Model Pupil 33-1
8. Saddler's Rock 9-2
9. Number Theory 50-1
10. Repeater 50-1
11. Last Train 14-1
12. Earl Of Tinsdal 20-1
13. Times Up 11-1
14. Vadamar 16-1
Estimate bore down on the winning line and became the first horse to win the Gold Cup for a reigning monarch, finishing a head in front of Simenon, with a further length back to Top Tug.
She returned to the winner's enclosure at 7-2, having defended her unbeaten record at Ascot of three wins from three starts.
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The celebrations will live long in the memory. The Queen watched on from the royal box with her racing manager John Warren, and as Estimate fought off her opposition, their delight was plain to see.
With this year's entries including Call To Mind, Seniority and Elector, could there be more royal success at the most famous race meeting of them all?