British fixtures cancelled on Friday following death of the Queen

Thursday evening's meetings and Friday's fixtures in Britain have been cancelled as a mark of respect after the death of the Queen.

A statement from the BHA read on Thursday: "All of British racing is in mourning today following the passing of Her Majesty The Queen.

"Her Majesty has been one of the greatest and most influential supporters in the history of horseracing. Her passion for racing and the racehorse shone brightly throughout her life, not only through her close involvement in breeding and racing horses, but in her roles as a patron of the Jockey Club and Thoroughbred Breeders Association, and as the figurehead of Royal Ascot.

"It is right, therefore, that all racing is suspended for today and tomorrow as we begin to grieve Her Majesty's passing and remember her extraordinary life and contribution to our sport and our nation."

All the members of the Betting & Gaming Council, including Ladbrokes, Coral, Betfred, William Hill and Paddy Power, will be closing their shops on Friday following the Queen's death.

The BHA will confirm plans for Saturday's fixtures and beyond in due course.

When King George VI died in 1952, all racing in Britain was cancelled until after his funeral nine days later. But it was February, with no Flat racing and only a few unimportant jumps meetings.

The same had happened after the deaths of King George V in January 1936, King Edward VII in May 1910 (when Flat as well as jumps meetings had to be cancelled) and Queen Victoria in January 1901.

In all four cases there was no racing in Britain between the monarch's death and the state funeral.