There will be no racing on Saturday but the season’s last Classic, the Cazoo St Leger due to take place at Doncaster, will be the centrepiece of a nine-race card at the Yorkshire course on Sunday.
To mark what the British Horseracing Authority described as the “special bond” between the sport and the late Queen, all meetings were cancelled on Friday and the card at Doncaster, Chester, Lingfield, Chelmsford, Musselburgh and Ffos Las will not go ahead on Saturday.
Under the new official guidance from Government, sports were told “there is no obligation to cancel or postpone events and sporting fixtures, or close entertainment venues during the national mourning period”.
A full sporting wipeout is suggested for the day of the funeral, however. “As a mark of respect, organisations might wish to consider cancelling or postponing events or closing venues on the day of the state funeral,” the guidance added. “They are under no obligation to do so and this is entirely at the discretion of individual organisations. If sporting fixtures or events are planned for the day of the state funeral, organisations may want to adjust the event timings so they do not clash with the timings of the funeral service and associated processions.”
Fixtures taking place in the intervening period were advised to pay appropriate respects, however. The Premier League’s postponement included Monday evening’s game. The top tier’s chief executive, Richard Masters said: “We and our clubs would like to pay tribute to Her Majesty’s long and unwavering service to our country. As our longest-serving monarch, she has been an inspiration and leaves behind an incredible legacy following a life of dedication. This is a tremendously sad time for not just the nation but also for the millions of people around the world who admired her, and we join together with all those in mourning her passing.”
In tennis, next week’s Davis Cup Finals tennis tournament in Glasgow will go ahead, the Lawn Tennis Association confirmed.
Racing off until Sunday; boxing cancelled
There will be no racing on Saturday but the season’s last Classic, the Cazoo St Leger which was due to take place at Doncaster, will be centrepiece of a nine-race card at the Yorkshire course on Sunday.
To mark what the British Horseracing Authority described as the “special bond” between the sport and the Queen, all meetings were cancelled for Friday and the card at Doncaster, Chester, Lingfield, Chelmsford, Musselburgh and Ffos Las will not go ahead on Saturday.
Sunday’s scheduled meeting at Chepstow will take place along with a bumper card at Doncaster which will also include the Doncaster Cup but the meeting at Musselburgh has been called off because the Queen’s body will be resting in state in Edinburgh.
All racecourses racing from Sunday and over the mourning period will continue to mark the Queen’s passing with tributes on-course. Flags will fly at half mast, jockeys will wear black armbands and a period of silence will be observed before the first race at each meeting.
In boxing, all fights scheduled for Friday are off and that Saturday’s middleweight world title fight between Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall has also been postponed.
Guidance on how to mourn
Under the new official guidance from Government, sports have been told “there is no obligation to cancel or postpone events and sporting fixtures, or close entertainment venues during the national mourning period”.
A full sporting wipeout is suggested for the day of the funeral, however.
“As a mark of respect, organisations might wish to consider cancelling or postponing events or closing venues on the day of the state funeral,” the guidance adds. “They are under no obligation to do so and this is entirely at the discretion of individual organisations. If sporting fixtures or events are planned for the day of the state funeral, organisations may want to adjust the event timings so they do not clash with the timings of the funeral service and associated processions.”
Fixtures that do take place in the intervening period are advised to pay appropriate respects, however.
“As a mark of respect, and in keeping with the tone of national mourning, organisers may wish to hold a period of silence and/or play the national anthem at the start of events or sporting fixtures, and players may wish to wear black armbands,” the guidance adds.
Golfers called off mid-round
In cricket, the Duchy of Cornwall is the landlord of the Kia Oval, and the England and Wales Cricket Board immediately convened a board meeting on Thursday to delay England’s third Test.
A four-day Test now looks likely to begin on Saturday, with England due to fly to Pakistan on Wednesday for the Twenty20 series starting in Karachi.
Golf’s European Tour Group, meanwhile, immediately stopped play at the BMW PGA Championship and later cancelled Friday’s action.
Despite the cancellations this weekend, some English football sides were involved in European fixtures on Thursday night. Manchester United said they had been directed by both the FA and Uefa to press ahead with their Europa League fixture against Real Sociedad. Arsenal were playing at FC Zurich when the Queen’s death was announced. A minute’s silence took place immediately before the start of the second half.
Sport overseas is certain to go ahead as planned. Sources within Formula 1 say there is no expectation that the Monza Grand Prix will be delayed. However, there will be commemorations and an inevitably sombre mood.
