A YEAR after a public invitation was issued to the British monarch Queen Elizabeth to visit the Victorian tourist resort of Killarney, a royal horse is making its way to Co Kerry.
The queen’s Four Winds will compete this evening in the Vincent O’Brien Ruby stakes at Killarney in the first visit by a royal horse to an Irish racecourse in 37 years.
There is speculation that the animal is a proverbial stalking horse, with reports circulating of a possible visit by the queen to Ireland in the near future.
Gillian Dolman, travelling head groom with Four Winds, said the three-year-old gelding had settled well after his journey from Newmarket via Rosslare to Killarney.
“It’s a spectacular track, a lovely place and a perfect opportunity to try him in a listed race,” Ms Dolman said.
The €45,000 10-furlong listed contest has attracted 13 runners.
The 1861 visit of Queen Victoria to Killarney set the lakeside town on the tourist trail and marked the beginnings of mass tourism. Major tourist spots still bear the trademarks of that visit, from Ladies View to the Queen’s Drive.
However, last year when the Killarney Chamber of Commerce and Tourism issued its invitation to Queen Elizabeth to retrace the journey of her ancestor and asking locals to show their support, Sinn Féin objected strenuously to the idea.
Yesterday the party said it had no objection to the royal horse’s arrival. Gardaí in Killarney said they would not be putting on any extra security to mind Four Winds.
The outgoing British ambassador to Ireland David Reddaway said at the weekend that he was “very hopeful” that Queen Elizabeth would visit the State “before too long”.