By Jordan Gerrans
For Diana White, she is yet to come across a horse as special in her eyes as Regal Chamber.
A career record of two wins from nine starts, including a third-place finish in the 1997 Golden Slipper, was just the start for the daughter of Archregent.
She went on to have an impressive breeding record, spanning two decades, before spending the last part of her life at Lakeside Animal Sanctuary Incorporated (LASI), which is based at Lake Monduran in Queensland.
White is the president of LASI and is a former international dressage rider herself.
In Regal Chamber’s last few weeks before her death last month, White was spending almost 24 hours a day with the chestnut mare.
The 20 straight years of breeding took its toll on Regal Chamber, White said, but she was in excellent spirits for much of her 18 month stay with LASI, located inland from Bundaberg.
“We are absolutely devastated following her death, out of all the thousands of horses we have interacted with over the years, she is the most special horse I have come across,” White said.
“She was probably the most affectionate loving horse you would come across.
“She would lean up against you, tuck her head over your shoulder to press her into you.
“She had a loving nature and would follow you around.”
Former jockey and now top Brisbane trainer Chris Munce (right) was close with Regal Chamber in 1997, riding her in four of her nine career starts.
Munce won on her twice, at Canterbury firstly before they partnered to take out the Group 2 Magic Night Stakes at Rosehill – a key lead in race towards the 1997 Golden Slipper.
Regal Chamber led them for much of the 1200m Group 1 Slipper with her quick gate speed before she was overtaken late on, beaten just under two lengths by Guineas – trained by John Hawkes and ridden by Darren Beadman.
She only picked up two wins in her racing career, but Munce thought Regal Chamber put in a mighty effort that day on the Group 1 stage.
“I rode her the week before the Slipper, she was at big odds and won easily,” Munce recalled on Monday morning.
“It was one of the few Slippers where there was not actually a lot of speed, she was massive odds in the Slipper, but she ran out of her skin to run third.
“She was a nice filly.”
Her racing career was short and sweet but Regal Chamber’s time in the breeding game was lengthy.
She produced 20 foals in consecutive years from 1999, producing several winners – including Group winners.
White described Regal Chamber, who was 26-years-old at the time of her death, as “incredibly intelligent” from her 18-month stint at her Queensland facility, declaring the retired racehorse was so easy to deal with and loving.
She had her own mannerisms, White said, as well as a presence about her.
“It is hard to describe how special she was, unless you were in her presence and saw how she was,” White said.
“I am struggling to relay in words just how special she was.”
While at LASI, Regal Chamber became best mates with Capers, known as Palace Capers in her racing days.
Regal Chamber, who was bred at Lomar Park Stud in New South Wales, was one of six horses who came to LASI from Royal Bloodstock.
Munce felt Regal Chamber was a positive influence on the life of veteran trainer Bill Prain, who had his last starter as a trainer in late 2018.
“She was a nice filly, old Bill Prain trained her at Warwick Farm, he was a very good old fella,” Munce said.
“Billy had some health issues of his own at the time, but the horse helped him along a little bit."
LASI, which describes itself as the only registered racehorse charity in Queensland dedicated to rehabbing and rehoming thoroughbreds, aims to create an environment for retired racehorses to enjoy their post-racing careers.
“Our hope is that more can be done to honour horses like Regal Chamber,” White said.