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Betting on Royal horse racing and coronation attendance
Gallop into the world of royal wagering as punters swap racetrack tips for cheeky bets on coronation guest lists. It's all about hedging your bets with the crown!
Britain’s King Charles III inspects graduating officer cadets march during the 200th Sovereign’s Parade at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, southwest of London on 14 April 2023. Photo: APF/POOL/Dan Kitwood
Being involved in the sport of kings, I am exposed to betting daily.
Betting on horse racing varies in simplicity from just picking a winner, to the more complex quartets, where fixed bankers, floating bankers and a host of other options all play a role in determining the cost of the bet.
Then, there are also the jackpots and pick 6, where the winner of multiple races has to be selected and permutations can run into thousands of rands.
It’s not rocket science, but it does take a fair bit of knowledge and experience to get the hang of it and to understand how the different options influence the cost of the bet.
It is generally accepted that modern betting on horses started in Great Britain in the early 1600s during the reign of King James I.
Queen Elizabeth II was an avid racing fan and her royal colours (silks) are known worldwide.
It is the same as those used by her father and great-grandfather, King Edward VII – a purple and scarlet jacket with gold braiding, with black cap.
After the Queen’s death, most of her horses were inherited by her heir and successor, King Charles III, who will have his coronation on Saturday.
Interestingly, Charles had his first winner, Just Fine, at Leicester in October last year.
Although Charles did sell 14 of the horses he inherited for around R25 million, he has confirmed that he will remain in racing, albeit not on the same scale as his mother.
READ: The Coronation: King Charles III’s crowning glory
Among the horses sold was Love Affairs, the Queen’s last winner at Goodwood just two days before she died, as well as Just Fine.
On Saturday, however, it will not be the king’s horses drawing the attention of many British punters. Instead, the royal family themselves will be the ones being bet on.
Some bookmakers have already opened betting on a variety of options, like whether Harry and Meghan will attend the coronation; and who will be present on the Buckingham Palace Balcony, to name but a few.
I’m no royalist, but my value bet would be on the queen consort to neigh in delight when the crown is placed on Charles’ head.
