King and Queen’s hopes of winning their first Royal Ascot race dashed

The Royal Hunt Cup was won by the gelding Jimi Hendrix, named after the legendary 1960s’ musician.

The King and Queen’s hopes of winning were dashed (Jonathan Brady/PA) (PA Wire)

The King and Queen’s hopes of winning their first Royal Ascot race were dashed by Jimi Hendrix and Sonny Liston – the horses.

Charles and Camilla looked pensive as they watched jockey Frankie Dettori riding their thoroughbred Reach For The Moon, and finishing well off the pace.

The couple’s disappointment in the Royal Hunt Cup was followed by their horse Circle Of Fire losing in the Queen’s Vase.

The Royal Hunt Cup was won by the gelding Jimi Hendrix, named after the legendary 1960s’ musician, while the thoroughbred sharing a name with former world heavyweight champion Sonny Liston was runner-up and Awaal was third.

As the race started Camilla tugged at Charles’s arm to remind him the horses were off, as he was deep in conversation with a guest in the royal box.

They both watched intently but their thoroughbred, a favourite for last year’s Epsom Derby before being withdrawn, was never in the running.

There was no time to dwell on the loss as the next race was the Queen’s Vase featuring their horse Circle Of Fire.

Charles and Camilla watched much of the action on the racecourse through binoculars, with the Queen bobbing up and down in nervous anticipation, but the horse finished outside the top three.

Dettori finished fifth on the King and Queen’s horse Saga on Tuesday and a frustrating day, where he finished runner-up in three other races, saw stewards judge he had caused interference while riding the royal horse and he received a nine-day ban to be served later in the season.

But the popular jockey was cheered as he won the Queen’s Vase on Gregory and in the parade ring he performed his trademark celebration of jumping out of the saddle onto the ground.

Charles and Camilla have carried on the late Queen’s tradition of supporting Royal Ascot and were joined by members of the royal family and close friends during the traditional carriage procession.

Among the guests were West End musical composer Lord Lloyd-Webber and his wife Lady Lloyd-Webber, while the racing world was represented by Sir Michael Stoute, who trained for the late Queen, and his contemporary William Haggas and his wife Maureen.

Lady Sarah Keswick, one of Camilla’s oldest friends, who is said to have known the King and Queen when they were romantically linked in the early 1970s, was in a carriage alongside Lord Soames, a former equerry to Charles who has remained a confidant.

Zara and Mike Tindall enjoyed a second succussive day at the races while the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh made their first appearance.