The Queen's statue becomes a shrine as town's folk pay their respects

Blanket grey skies summed up the mood in Newmarket on Friday morning as the town tried to come to terms with the death of a monarch with whom it had a special association.

The Queen had horses in training at the headquarters of Flat racing throughout her 70-year reign and, fittingly, many equine related sites, such as the National Horseracing Museum, were closed as a mark of respect, as were the town’s many betting shops.

At least one morning every spring, the Queen would visit Newmarket heath to cast an eye over her string, which in recent times was split between Sir Michael Stoute, John Gosden, William Haggas and Michael Bell.

She was always flanked by her racing adviser John Warren and often had other royals with her, including Prince Harry on one occasion.

Because of this special association, Newmarket came together in 2016 to commission a statue of the Queen with a mare and foal, which Her Majesty herself unveiled to mark her 90th birthday and which lies close to the entrance of the Rowley Mile racecourse.

By late on Thursday evening, and again on Friday morning, this was turned into a focal point for locals to lay flowers and spend time in quiet contemplation.

Frances Stanley, who was on the committee behind the making of the statue and among those at the site on Friday, said: “It’s rather wonderful the Queen’s statue has become a place for people to visit and reflect on the Queen’s involvement in racing and how much she has given to our sport. It’s obviously giving comfort to people at a time of distress.”

Earlier, builder Chris Whittleton from nearby Gazeley, was among those calling in at the statue on his way to work and was even bold enough to put a rose into the outstretched hand of the model of the Queen.

He said: “A rose for a rose is the way I look at it. It’s so amazing we have this statue here and people can come and pay their respects.”

Flag at half mast outside the Town Hall in Newmarket

Across town on the Limekilns, there was a low-key feeling to the morning's events where the Queen’s trainers Haggas and Stoute were among those in evidence.

Haggas had exercised the Queen's promising three-year-old Educator the previous day, and his wife Maureen said: “Things are a bit subdued in the yard this morning, as you might expect, but she was a wonderful lady and what she has done for racing is unreal."

Roger Varian’s jockeys were in the car park opposite the Limekilns just after 6am, but there was less banter than usual as they dealt with things in their own way.

David Egan and Andrea Atzeni may not be British but remember riding for the Queen as a great thrill.

Egan said: “It’s a sad day all right – and I’m Irish. You’ve got to admire her. I rode two winners for the Queen trained by Richard Hughes and to even put the colours on was amazing. My mother and grandmother in Kildare somehow even got someone to take a picture of me the first time I ever wore them.”

Shadwell Stud assistant racing manager Richard Hills was also riding work for Varian and said: “I won a few races, including the Geoffrey Freer, for the Queen and I’ll never forget it. She knew all about her horses and she knew all about the pedigree of Baaeed as he goes back to her filly Height Of Fashion. It’s a sad day for Newmarket that’s for sure.”

Charlie Fellowes was at Southwell the previous evening when he heard the news of the Queen’s death. He said: “I didn’t think it would affect me as much as it has. When we heard the news over the tannoy at Southwell it was very moving.”

Sir Mark Prescott, who met the Queen many times, said: “Newmarket feels subdued this morning as the Queen has been coming here ever since she came with her father to see Captain Boyd-Rochfort. Her Aureole finished second in the Derby in her Coronation year as I remember when she’d just knighted Sir Gordon Richards, who beat her."

Peter Chapple-Hyam was among those using Warren Hill where the mood was no less sombre but lightened things up with a tale about the Queen and the Derby.

After his first win with Dr Devious on a hot day in 1992, the trainer was asked by the Queen what he wanted to drink in the Royal Box. "A cold beer, please ma’am," he replied.

When it was discovered no such tipple was available, someone was sent out to get one. Chapple-Hyam added: “I took two mouthfuls and put it down as it was so warm I couldn’t drink any more.”

The Queen agreed and something else was found. Some 15 years later, Chapple-Hyam was back on the winner's podium at Epsom with Authorized.

He said: “It was another hot day and afterwards when I went up to meet the Queen again she already had my beer waiting for me on a silver salver! That’s gospel truth."

Speaking for all Newmarket trainers, senior handler William Jarvis said: “On behalf of all Newmarket trainers we offer our sincere condolences to His Majesty the King and the Queen Consort and all members of the royal family on the passing of Her Majesty the Queen.

"Her Majesty had a long and happy association with Newmarket from the early days of her reign. She was an inspiration to us all.”

Amy Starkey, managing director of the Jockey Club's East region, spoke of a feeling of loss around the town.

She said: “The Queen’s love of the thoroughbred was one which spanned the length of her amazing life, and a profound and personal sense of loss is felt across the home of horseracing today. As an owner she won the 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas and visited here happily on many occasions, most recently in 2016.

"As the home of The Jockey Club, our teams here are reflecting upon all that our patron contributed to British racing and breeding, and across Newmarket many will be contemplating and paying their respects to a life which was defined by service, dedication and a love of the horse.”