A bronze model of the famous statue of The late Queen with a mare and foal in Newmarket has found a new home with a great supporter of racing and Her Majesty thanks to a family museum visit this summer.
The miniature version of the iconic life-sized statue sold for 165,000 guineas (£173,250) ahead of the first Sceptre session at the Tattersalls December Sales on Monday (28 November), with all proceeds going to the National Horseracing Museum.
The maquette, by Etienne Millner and Charlie Langton, was knocked down to bloodstock agent Jamie McCalmont, on behalf of Hong Kong-based owner Marc Chan.
“On behalf of all the staff and volunteers at the National Horseracing Museum we would like to express our enormous thanks to Mr Chan for this huge gesture of support and confidence in the museum,” said museum director, Anne-Marie Hogan.
The moment the hammer fell for the bronze maquette of The late Queen with a mare and foal
Only 12 maquettes of the statue were made, and The late Queen was presented with the first.
Mr McCalmont explained there were three reasons Mr Chan wanted to buy the model. On a visit to the museum with his family this summer, he was so impressed that he wanted to support it.
He added that Mr Chan was a great admirer of The Queen, hugely respecting her devotion and love of racing and as patron of the museum. Mr Chan saw the marquette on display at the museum, and another in private ownership, while visiting Newmarket and was very taken with it.
The final reason is that on 11 September, as The Queen’s funeral cortege made its way from Balmoral to Edinburgh, it passed through Kinross. At the same time, the town’s namesake – owned by Mr Chan – was winning the Group 2 Park Stakes at Doncaster.
Ms Hogan added: “This is a very heart-warming story that even in death The Queen is still one of our greatest supporters.
“We would also like to thank Tattersalls for agreeing to conduct the auction and finally the Newmarket Commemoration Committee who had the foresight to arrange for the casting of the 12 maquettes as a fundraising tool for the museum.”
The life-sized statue of the miniature version sold on Monday is a well-known landmark, standing near the entrance of the Rowley Mile racecourse. It was given to Her Majesty as a gift from the town in the year of her 90th birthday. Following her death in September, the statue became a focal point for the town to lay floral tributes in her memory.
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