Educator to be landmark first runner for the King

The King will have his first runner in the famous royal silks as Educator lines up at Salisbury on Thursday.

While His Majesty has previously had runners in the colours he shared with the Queen Consort when they were the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall respectively, it will be the first time the famous purple, red and gold silks will take to the track in his name.

The William Haggas-trained Educator was a one-time Classic hope for the late Queen, but the three-year-old has not run since winning a Newmarket handicap by a nose back in April.

Educator was one of two horses who galloped up Warren Hill in the royal silks as a tribute to the monarch at Newmarket’s Open Weekend earlier this month, but he will now don the colours in competitive action in the Radcliffe & Co Handicap.

He will be the first horse to race in the colours since Improvise was beaten a short-head at Epsom on September 8, the same day the Queen died at her Balmoral estate in Scotland.

Tom Marquand will be aboard the son of Deep Impact and he admitted it will be a mixture of feelings as he gets the leg up on a landmark runner for King Charles III.

He told Sky Sports Racing: “Having ridden for the Queen they will remain some of the proudest moments of my career for the entirety of it. Riding the first runner (for the King) is a moment to cherish as well.

“Educator is a lovely horse, he’s shown a bit of character at home and he thankfully got his head in front at Newmarket at the start of the season.

“He’s obviously an important runner, it will be a sad day and a happy day at the same time.”