THE QUEEN’S huge horse racing operation worth millions is set to be left to Queen Consort Camilla.
Her Majesty, who died peacefully aged 96 last Thursday, was racing’s biggest fan and most ardent supporter.
Frankie Dettori and Matt Chapman have paid tribute to her profound love of all things equine – and her joy was clear for all to see when she won the Ascot Gold Cup with Estimate in 2013.
It is her daughter-in-law Camilla who will now reportedly carry on that tradition.
Camilla – who supported the new monarch during his historic address to MPs and Peers on Monday morning – is expected to take over as a royal figurehead for the sport and assume oversight for The Queen’s stable of horses.
King Charles will formally inherit the Sandringham stud and ownership of Ascot racecourse.
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But The Times report John Warren, the late Queen’s racing manager, sees Camilla as his ‘first port of call’ for all things racing.
It is a hugely important role, especially considering The Queen’s runners have earned more than £330,000 on the Flat alone this season.
Warren said last year that Camilla was ‘absolutely besotted by racing’.
Charles and Camilla are no strangers to the sport.
Their red and blue silks ran under the name of their old titles, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.
But their success paled into comparison to that of the late Queen.
Charles and Camilla’s runners earned a total of £37,666 on the Flat over the past five seasons.
While The Queen’s have amassed £2.2million, the last of her runners being Improvise at Epsom last Thursday.
The horse just finished second, being nutted on the line by 9-1 Mount Kosciuszko, in a race two hours before her death was announced.
The Queen’s horses will continue to run under those famous purple, gold and red silks – although as of right now it remains unclear when the next runner from her yard will be.
A source told the Mail on Sunday: “I think now it will be Camilla, she will be the figurehead.
“The plan has always been that Charles and Camilla would take on the legacy.
“Camilla obviously adores horses and is hugely passionate about racing.
“She really loves it, particularly Cheltenham, the jumps.
“I think there’s a pretty clear plan, given the Queen’s passion and love for racehorses.”
