Queen's children hold a Vigil at Westminster Hall

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Queen Elizabeth II was an avid horseracing fan for the entirety of her 70-year reign. Her passion for all things equestrian began in her childhood when she first started horseriding and was given her first pony. Her Majesty was seen horseriding well into her nineties and was a permanent fixture at the country’s biggest racing events into the final years of her life. Her love affair with the sport was proven for the last time during her final weekend at Balmoral, where Her Majesty mapped out the future of her racehorses. 

John Warren, who served as the monarch’s bloodstock and racing manager, revealed that he spent the weekend before her death formalising future plans for her horses.

Speaking to the Press Association, Mr Warren said: “We sat there for hours over the weekend strategising and making plans going forward.

“She was in such a healthy state of mind and in tremendous form.

“It’s very important to know that she was absolutely, wonderfully switched on.”

The Queen was coming to the end of her summer stay at Balmoral Castle when her health began to deteriorate. 

Buckingham Palace confirmed in a statement that the monarch was under medical supervision and members of the Royal Family travelled up to Scotland to be with her. 

Mr Warren said that he was pleased that the Queen was surrounded by her family members at Balmoral.

He said: “She really loved having them right there with her and being able to talk about her horses and her love for her horses right to the very end.”

Mr Warren left Balmoral on Monday afternoon ahead of Her Majesty’s appointment of her 15th prime minister, Liz Truss.

He said: “I left her on Monday afternoon, the prime ministers were coming in on the Tuesday, she had a winner on the Tuesday.

“On the Tuesday evening she was in really good form, delighted she had had a winner, and talked about the prime ministers coming in and out, and I can hardly believe it possible that within less than 48 hours the Queen had died.”

He added: “Shocking as that was, it is wonderful to know that she led a long and full life, and dutiful to the very end. Perhaps the racing community contributed to giving her some pleasure along the way.”

Mr Warren recalled the day the Queen claimed victory in Royal Ascot’s Gold Cup in 2013, marking the first time in the race’s 207-year history that it had been won by a reigning monarch.

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A clip from the historic day shows the Queen clapping her hands and beaming as her horse Estimate crossed the finish line. Mr Warren was sat next to the monarch as she celebrated her win. 

He recalled how the Queen “practically galloped” from the Royal Box to the unsaddling enclosure, despite being in her eighties, “carried” by the Ascot crowd.

Mr Warren said: “And in typical style of a horsewoman, although everyone was giving The Queen their congratulations, The Queen was absolutely steadfast to get to Estimate herself and give her a wonderful and well deserved pat.

“That was a hugely touching thing to witness, The Queen just focusing purely on this creature that had delivered for her. That was remarkable.”

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