Queen Elizabeth’s champion horse, Estimate, fails dope test

A horse owned by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth which won one of England’s most prestigious races has failed a drugs test, Buckingham Palace announced on Tuesday.

Estimate, which lifted the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in 2013 and came second in this year’s edition, has tested positive for morphine, a banned substance.

A statement issued by the Queen’s racing adviser said initial indications were the positive test had resulted from the “consumption of a contaminated feed product”.

The queen, renowned for a love and knowledge of horse racing which dates back to the 88-year-old monarch’s childhood, cheered on Estimate, saddled by top trainer Michael Stoute, when the now five-year-old filly won at Ascot last year.

A statement by John Warren, the queen’s bloodstock and racing adviser, said: “On Thursday July 17 the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) announced that a number of post-race samples, obtained from recent race meetings, had been found to indicate the presence of morphine, which is a prohibited substance on race days.

“Five horses, under the care of various trainers, were affected.