Of all the Queen's horses, the one gifted to her by Sheikh Mohammed was extra special

It is well documented that Queen Elizabeth II’s abiding sporting fascination was horse racing, a sport that grew into a deep passion after she was gifted a pony named Peggy at the age of four.

She began horseback riding at the age of six and by the time she was a teenager the Queen had become an accomplished rider.

However, her interest in breeding and owning racehorses came when she inherited the National Stud from her father King George VI in 1952.

As an owner, she won many major races in the UK, Ireland, and France but there was one race that eluded her grasp until her dying day – the coveted Epsom Derby, the jewel in the crown of British racing.

However, she did come painfully close on two occasions, the first being in 1953 when a horse called Aureole finished second.

But the second was more poignant because it almost became a Royal fairytale.

Carton House, who was named after a mansion in Westminster that was the town residence of King George IV, was the favourite that was expected to end the Queen’s agonizing wait for a Derby victory.

But as fate would have it, Carlton House was narrowly beaten to third place in an epic renewal of the great race, so denying the Queen a long-cherished win in six decades of trying.

The story of how the Queen came to acquire Carlton House is a riveting narrative that involved another legend in the sport - His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

In 2009, Sheikh Mohammed wanted to buy Highland Glen, a rogue horse that the Queen was hoping to get rid off.

The Queen was embarrassed by Sheikh Mohammed’s interest in the naughty horse and instead of selling it, gave it to him as a gift.

Highland Glen was brought to Dubai where he even redeemed himself and won a race at Meydan racecourse, much to Sheikh Mohammed’s delight.

After that success, Sheikh Mohammed contacted John Warren, the Queen’s long-time racing manager to offer four yearlings he had handpicked himself, as a reciprocal gift to the Queen.

I was lucky to contact Warren to get the inside story on this extraordinary exchange of horses between two of the sport’s biggest patrons.

“It was a typically generous gesture from His Highness,” Warren told me during a telephone conversation from his Highclere Stud in England.

“Sheikh Mohammed hand-picked them himself, and Carlton House was one of them.

“It was a great thrill for Her Majesty who was looking forward to seeing Carlton House run in the Derby after demonstrating his credential with several good performances.

"Winning will mean a lot for Her Majesty and will be absolutely fantastic for racing. I think we all saw the level of interest that the Royal Wedding generated. Most people who follow the Queen know that horse racing is her passion, her deep interest, her hobby," added Warren.

• Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022): The life of Britain's longest-reigning monarch