Princess Anne tells Sir Kevin Sinfield: 'I will stick to horses'

"I will stick to horses." That was Princess Anne's reply when Sir Kevin Sinfield invited her to join him on his charity ultra-marathon challenge.

The meeting took place at the University of York on the second day of Sinfield's 7 in 7: The Grand Finale challenge, as reported by Hello!. Sinfield, an England rugby coach, had run that morning from Shiptonthorpe to the university athletics track, according to GB News.

Anne watched him complete his final laps at the University of York Athletics Track. She then spoke with him in the pavilion afterwards.

The task he set himself is blunt. Seven ultra marathons in seven days. An ultra marathon is any race longer than the standard marathon distance of 26.2 miles, and here the aim is to raise money for motor neurone disease charities.

Motor neurone disease damages the nerves that control muscles. It makes movement, speech and breathing harder over time. Fundraising helps pay for care, support and research for people living with it.

Anne has held a formal link to that cause for years. She has been patron of the Motor Neurone Disease Association since 2008. A patron is a public supporter who lends a name and regular visits to a charity's work.

She did more than watch in York. She signalled the start of the next leg by banging a drum seven times. Seven was the shirt number of Rob Burrow, the rugby league star in whose support Sinfield has run earlier fundraising challenges.

Sinfield has said he was proud to bring the rugby league community together through the fundraiser. A Hull KR fan living with motor neurone disease was due to help launch this final challenge, according to the BBC.

What makes this stand out is the fit. Anne is a lifelong horsewoman and former Olympic equestrian. She was never likely to trade the saddle for running shoes.

She left the running to Sinfield. She kept the encouragement, and the joke.