Racehorse named after Queen Elizabeth II recruited to avoid wasting village pub

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Your assist makes all of the distinction. Learn extra A novel initiative is ready to breathe new life into an Oxfordshire nation pub, because it rebrands in honour of a successful racehorse to fight the development of native closures.

The Fox And Hounds in Uffington will, this Sunday, undertake the brand new identify "Thank You Ma'am," a tribute to a profitable racehorse named in honour of Queen Elizabeth II.

This transfer comes as three close by villages have already seen their pubs shut, regardless of the area's robust ties to horse racing. In response, Fox and Hounds landlord Richard Starkey has partnered with grade one successful racehorse coach Georgina Nicholls to deal with the problem.

Mr Starkey defined the technique, stating: "We're in a superb location and the realm is stuffed with equine superstars - we felt getting the four-legged celebrities would enchantment to racing locals."

<img src="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/12/09/02/6895f7f84b157e3b28d8cdd250ad4331Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzY1MzIwNTEw-2.78541632.jpg" srcset="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/12/09/02/6895f7f84b157e3b28d8cdd250ad4331Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzY1MzIwNTEw-2.78541632.jpg?quality=75&width=320&auto=webp 320w, https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/12/09/02/6895f7f84b157e3b28d8cdd250ad4331Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzY1MzIwNTEw-2.78541632.jpg?quality=75&width=640&auto=webp 640w" loading="lazy" alt="Thank You Ma’am ridden by Olive Nicholls." class="sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn"/> open picture in gallery

Thank You Ma’am ridden by Olive Nicholls. (PA Archive) "I had heard the lads speaking about Thank You Ma'am and requested Georgina if she fancied bringing her horse down on the Sunday earlier than Christmas.

"I hope as many individuals as doable could make it - we're right here to rejoice locals, our racing heritage and worthy causes, not forgetting Christmas."

Queen Camilla is credited by the racehorse's syndicate, the Posh Pundit racing membership, for serving to Thank You Ma'am win its first title final yr, after she wished the thoroughbred effectively forward of a run at Ascot, the place it triumphed.

Shares within the racehorse are being supplied at £80, with half the fee donated to the charity Mind Tumour Analysis, to assist fund the battle to discover a remedy.

Ms Nicholls, Thank You Ma'am's coach, stated, "We're very wanting locations for the workers to go to unwind and are on a mission to make sure the Fox thrives.

"Richard has agreed to rename his pub after our horse Thank You Ma'am and we have now invited all our syndicate members alongside to return and see their horse, while having fun with a drink and the view from a very epic native pub - climate allowing."