The Princess Royal will be represented as an owner at Cheltenham on Friday. That will happen when the Martin Keighley-trained Chequered View lines up for the CF Roberts Electrical and Mechanical Services Mares’ Handicap Chase.
The six-year-old was trained in Gloucestershire. She is currently on a career-high mark after winning two of her last three starts in mares’ handicap chases. Those races were for over two and a half miles and, three miles. As an amateur, she successfully rode on the flat and over jumps.
The Princess Royal’s daughter, Zara Tindall MBE was recently appointed to the Cheltenham racecourse committee in November. That position takes effect from 1 January.
In a statement, Martin Keighley spoke on Friday’s events:
“Chequered View is very well at home and the intention at the moment is to run at Cheltenham rather than Hereford.”
Keighley went on to add, “She is in the form of her life and a stiff two and a half miles around Cheltenham is sure to suit her.
“It’s great to have a runner here for Princess Anne. She is in Scotland this weekend so sadly won’t see the horse running, but Zara Tindall is going to be here. We could not be happier with Chequered View and are hoping for another good run.”
Anne rode successfully as an amateur under both codes. She was successful in 1987 in a handicap chase at Worcester on Cnoc Na Cuille. Her biggest win on the Flat came on Ten No Trumps in the Dresden Diamond Stakes at Ascot in the same year.
Entries for the CF Roberts Electrical and Mechanical Services Mares’ Handicap Chase also include J P McManus’ Evidence De Thaix (Phillip Hobbs.) De Thaix impressed on her comeback in a mares’ handicap race at Warwick.
