Major sports in the UK come to a halt as a mark of respect to late Queen Elizabeth II

Several major sports events in the UK were suspended on Thursday as a mark of respect following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, a major patron of sport and in particular horse racing.

The four-day St. Leger meeting at Doncaster came to a halt on Thursday with the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) also announcing that the meetings scheduled for Friday have also been cancelled.

Premier League fixtures scheduled for this weekend are also set to be postponed, according to reports.

According to the Express, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the English football leagues will be discussing the plan for postponed fixtures.

England's third Test match against South Africa was postponed with the ECB confirming that Friday’s play at The Oval will not take place.

A decision is awaited to see of the if Test match will be cancelled or will resume.

In golf the DP World Tour announced that the BMW PGA Championship will be stopped for the remainder of play on Thursday while releasing a statement saying, ‘further updates and guidance will be provided shortly.’

The Premiership Rugby season which was also scheduled to kick-off on Thursday was also postponed.

Regarding plans to stage Saturday’s horse races, where the St. Leger at Doncaster is the showpiece event as the final British Classic of the season, an announcement will be made on Friday.

The BHA said in a statement: “All of British Racing is in mourning today following the passing of Her Majesty The Queen.

“Her Majesty has been one of the greatest and most influential supporters in the history of horse racing. Her passion for racing and the racehorse shone brightly throughout her life, not only through her close involvement in breeding and racing horses, but in her roles as a patron of The Jockey Club and Thoroughbred Breeders Association, and as the figurehead of Royal Ascot.

“From her first-ever winner Monaveen, through stars such as Carrozza and Highclere, to the unforgettable Estimate, Her Majesty The Queen has helped to shape the breed and contributed to moments on the track that will go down in sporting folklore.

“It is right, therefore, that all racing is suspended for today and tomorrow as we begin to grieve Her Majesty’s passing and remember her extraordinary life and contribution to our sport and our nation.”

Meanwhile Ascot, the racecourse that was close to the Queen’s heart, paid tribute to her describing her as one of racing’s “greatest supporters”.

Sir Francis Brooke, Her Majesty’s representative at the track, said: “The nation mourns the loss of a much loved and respected monarch. The world of racing has lost one of its greatest supporters.

“We at Ascot are privileged to have so many memories of Her Majesty The Queen at this her racecourse, including some wonderful victories in the royal colours.

“We offer our deepest sympathies to His Majesty The King and the whole Royal Family.”

The F1 Italian Grand Prix is also in doubt as Italy are a member of the Commonwealth along with several teams based in the UK.

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