Top Australian horse trainer who will be in elite company when attending the Queen’s funeral, talks about his incredible relationship with Her Majesty: ‘She was very caring’
Chris Waller is the legendary trainer of champion Aussie horse Winx
He also trained a Queen’s horse named Chalk Stream
The pair chatted regularly so the monarch could get updates on her horse
Waller described her as caring and may be one of the few Aussies at her funeral
<!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
Legendary Australian horse trainer Chris Waller has shared his experiences with Queen Elizabeth and her love of horses, racing and all things Australian.
Waller is most famous for being the trainer of Winx, the Thoroughbred champion who won 33 consecutive races, including 28 Group 1 events.
Although Winx is a household name and one of the greatest racehorses of all time, there was another thoroughbred in Waller’s stable who was linked to someone even more famous: Queen Elizabeth II.
Queen Elizabeth II with her horse Estimate in the winner’s quarters after winning the Gold Cup on Royal Ascot’s third day
Queen Elizabeth II petting one of her horses at the Royal Windsor Horse Show and riding Balmoral Fern, a 14-year-old Fell Pony, in Windsor Home Park
Chalk Stream was owned by the monarch and was named after the rare rivers that spring from springs in limestone landscapes in the United Kingdom.
Her Majesty was very fond of the horse and regularly called Waller to ask how he was doing and how the preparations were going.
It has been reported that Waller’s relationship with the Queen was so strong that he is one of the few privileged Australians to receive an invitation to her funeral.
James McDonald talks to Chris Waller after riding Nature Strip in an exhibition gallop during Sydney Racing at Rosehill Gardens
Waller said nothing had been confirmed yet, but spoke of the Queen and her love for her Australian horse Chalk Stream.
“She has a horse with us called Chalk Stream, and if that horse were racing, I’d be asked to call Her Majesty,” Waller said. 2GB.
“She just loves her animals, loves her race horses and she’s very caring and very curious about what’s going on with the horse and how they train, their little quirks and quirks.
‘She wants to know everything.
“It was a pleasure to have been a small, small part of her final racing years.”
Waller said Queen Elizabeth was equally adept at all of her horses and was a regular at the British stables until her health prevented her.
“I have spoken to many trainers in the UK in particular and she is a regular visitor to their stables,” said Waller,
‘[When she called me] it’s about the horse and how we train horses in Australia, questions about the drought, the fires, the floods, she’s about everything.
“She loves Australia, she loves her people and what they do, whether it’s horses or dogs or any other aspect of equestrian sport.
“She’s clearly a regular rider herself, at least in recent years.”
Queen Elizabeth II runs to Ascot in an event reserved for Windsor Castle guests
Waller is expected to be one of the Australian dignitaries invited to the Queen’s funeral.
Other Australian guests include Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his partner Jodie Haydon, wheelchair tennis legend Dylan Alcott, Governor-General David Hurley and his wife Linda, and Australian Acting High Commissioner to the UK, Lynette Wood.