Queen Camilla has paid tribute to the late Dame Jilly Cooper, describing how the much-loved author would have been delighted by plans to honour her at Cheltenham Racecourse.
In a personal message published in Friday’s racecard, the Queen welcomed the decision to rename an area of the racecourse The Rutshire Arms for the November Meeting, saying Jilly would undoubtedly have been among the first to celebrate.
The Queen also wished racegoers a wonderful day, imagining the author enjoying her afterlife in the company of handsome men and devoted dogs.
Cheltenham will mark Cooper’s life and legacy on Friday, 13 November, with a series of commemorations celebrating her affection for horse racing and the racecourse.
One of the most significant moments will be the unveiling of a memorial bench on the Crescent Walkway at 12.15pm. Positioned overlooking the Parade Ring, it will provide a permanent tribute to a woman whose enthusiasm for the sport was well known among racing enthusiasts.
The Retreat Bar will also temporarily take on a new identity as The Rutshire Arms, a reference to the fictional establishment from Cooper’s celebrated novels. Racegoers will be able to mark the occasion with a specially created Rutshire Royale cocktail.
The day’s racing programme will feature the Jilly Cooper Veterans’ Handicap Chase at 2.55pm, with the race providing another opportunity to celebrate her enduring passion for the sport.
A further tribute comes from Simon McMurtrie, Cooper’s friend and executor, whose address at the memorial bench unveiling is reproduced in the racecard.
Reflecting on the author’s 2010 novel Jump!, McMurtrie recalls its portrayal of the racing world, including the excitement of the Cheltenham Festival and the unforgettable roar of the crowd.
He draws parallels between the novel’s underdogs and the spirit of the memorial itself, suggesting the bench should be viewed less as somewhere to rest and more as a vantage point from which to watch the Parade Ring and exchange racing gossip.
His tribute captures Cooper’s lively personality, imagining her continuing to enjoy conversations with stable lads, flirtations with trainers and the occasional opportunity to share a biscuit with somebody else’s dog.
McMurtrie also encourages visitors to raise a glass of champagne and back an unlikely outsider in her memory, reflecting the author’s affection for the unexpected heroes of the racing world.
Cooper was a familiar face at Cheltenham and spoke warmly of her affection for the racecourse and its Festival. She once described its atmosphere as joyful, praising the panoramic views and the Irish racing enthusiasts who helped make the occasion so special.
Her love of horses and racing also provided inspiration for her writing, with Jump! bringing the sport to a wider audience through its fictional characters and storylines.
That legacy has reached a new generation through Rivals, the television adaptation of her work, which has become a major success on Disney+.
Cheltenham chief executive Guy Lavender described Cooper as a wonderful lady whose enthusiasm for life and passion for racing were unmistakable.
Her children, Felix Cooper and Emily Tarrant, also welcomed the plans, saying their mother would have been thrilled to see Countrywide Day celebrated in her honour.
They recalled how much she adored Cheltenham, from the racing and horses to the people and champagne, and thanked everyone involved in organising the tribute.
Friday’s celebrations will bring together Cooper’s family, friends and the wider racing community to remember a woman whose contribution to the sport extended far beyond her writing.
