Racing to pay its respects to Queen at Doncaster's rescheduled St Leger meeting

Racing at Southwell and Chelmsford on Thursday evening was cut short, while Friday’s meetings in Britain were also cancelled.

The BHA said Saturday’s scheduled meetings at Doncaster, Ffos Las, Lingfield, Chelmsford, Chester and Musselburgh will not go ahead, but racing will take place at Doncaster and Chepstow on Sunday.

In addition to the St Leger, the Champagne Stakes and the Park Stakes, the Doncaster Cup and the Flying Childers Stakes have been saved from Friday’s cancelled fixture to form a nine-race Doncaster card.

But while Chepstow is also set to go ahead, Musselburgh’s meeting on Sunday has been called off due to the Queen lying in state in Edinburgh.

A statement from the BHA read: “British racing remains in mourning today regarding the death of Her Majesty The Queen.

“As an ongoing mark of respect it has been determined that, alongside the cancellation of fixtures on September 8 and 9, all racing will also be cancelled tomorrow, Saturday, September 10. Scheduled fixtures and racing events will return on Sunday, September 11.

“An additional day of racing at Doncaster will also be scheduled for Sunday, September 11, to ensure that the Cazoo St Leger and other important races lost as result of the cancellations can take place.”

BHA chief executive Julie Harrington said: “Her Majesty the Queen’s affinity and bond with British racing was enduring and unique, and a number of our sport’s participants have a close, direct relationship with her. It is out of respect for this, and in sympathy with her family including King Charles III, that the sport has taken the decision to continue our suspension of fixtures into Saturday.

“The return of racing on Sunday will see the running of the Cazoo St Leger, one of Britain’s five Classic races and a race which the Queen won with her filly Dunfermline in 1977. This will also provide an opportunity for the sport and its supporters to pay its respects to Her Majesty, for the contribution which she has made to the sport to be marked.”

Cancelling racing on Saturday will also allow the sport, and in particular those people involved who had a close relationship with the royal family, to take in the formal proclamation of King Charles III’s reign on Saturday afternoon.

The BHA confirmed all racecourses racing from Sunday and over the mourning period will continue to mark the Queen’s death with tributes on course. Flags will fly at half-mast, jockeys will wear black armbands while riding in each race and a period of silence will be observed prior to the opening race at each meeting. These marks of respect will continue to be observed until Her Majesty’s funeral.

Downing Street has said there is no obligation to postpone events or sporting fixtures during the mourning period for the Queen’s death.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “There is no requirement, or obligation, to cancel or postpone events or sporting fixtures, or close entertainment venues, during this period. It’s at the discretion of individual organisations.

“They may wish to consider cancelling or postponing, particularly on the day of the state funeral, but they are under no obligation to do so.”