How a Royal Ascot carriage procession led to King Charles losing a Melbourne Cup winner

A Royal Ascot carriage procession may have been the unlikely setting for the deal that eventually saw The King sell a horse who has now become a Melbourne Cup champion.

Point Of Law, bred by King Charles and subsequently sold to Australian connections for a reported multi-million-pound sum, produced a sensational performance to win the 2026 Melbourne Cup by around 15 lengths.

But the story of how the three-year-old son of Frankel ended up racing in Australia can be traced back to a special day at Royal Ascot in June.

On June 20, trainer Ciaron Maher and his mother, Eileen, took part in the traditional carriage procession, just days after Point Of Law had finished fourth in the Group 2 Queen’s Vase.

It was during this Royal Ascot visit that discussions surrounding the horse’s future are understood to have begun, eventually leading to his sale to Australia.

How Royal Ascot brought Point Of Law to Australia

Maher has an established relationship with The King and Queen Camilla, and that connection played an important part in bringing Point Of Law to his new owners.

Speaking after the Melbourne Cup victory, a representative of the winning ownership group reflected on the moment that set the process in motion.

“Who can forget Ciaron with his mum in the carriage at Royal Ascot? And that’s probably where this journey began,” the representative said.

“Ciaron’s relationship with His Majesty King Charles and Queen Camilla brought Point Of Law into our lives.”

The comments offered a fascinating insight into how a horse bred for the Royal Family eventually became one of the biggest names in Australian racing.

The King nearly retained a share in his horse

The ownership representative also revealed that there had initially been hopes of reaching an arrangement which would have allowed The King to remain involved with Point Of Law.

“For a short while we thought we were going to race in partnership with The King, but that wasn’t meant to be,” the representative explained.

“So instead we have been given the privilege to race the horse that he has bred.”

The possibility of a shared ownership arrangement had previously been explored during negotiations, but ultimately did not come to fruition.

The King therefore relinquished his interest in the horse, allowing the Australian connections to take over his racing career.

It was a decision that has taken on a rather different significance following Point Of Law’s extraordinary Melbourne Cup success.

From the Queen’s Vase to Melbourne Cup glory

Point Of Law had already shown considerable promise in Britain before his move to Australia.

His fourth-place finish in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot came in June, with the prestigious staying contest providing another opportunity to showcase his potential.

Following his transfer to Australia, he quickly established himself as a serious contender for the Melbourne Cup.

His victory in the Geelong Cup helped propel him towards the head of the betting before he produced a stunning performance at Flemington, winning the Melbourne Cup by approximately 15 lengths.

The result represented an extraordinary achievement for trainer Ciaron Maher, jockey Ethan Brown and the horse’s new ownership group.

It also brought an unexpected moment of recognition for The King, who was named as the recipient of the breeders’ award during the trophy presentation.

A Royal Ascot moment that changed everything

The story of Point Of Law’s journey from Royal Ascot to Melbourne Cup glory is a reminder of how relationships and chance encounters can shape the racing world.

What began with Ciaron Maher and his mother joining the Royal Ascot carriage procession ultimately helped bring about a deal that delivered one of Australia’s greatest racing prizes to a new group of owners.

For Maher and his connections, the association with The King proved enormously rewarding.

For His Majesty, the story is rather more complicated.

He bred the horse, was briefly considered as a potential partner in the Australian ownership group, but ultimately sold his interest.

Now Point Of Law is a Melbourne Cup champion, having produced one of the most emphatic victories in the race’s history.

And it all apparently began with a carriage ride at Royal Ascot.