IT’S been a remarkable week of sales at Tattersalls in Newmarket and perhaps one of the most fascinating transactions concerned was a bronze maquette of the late Queen Elizabeth with mare and foal.

Created by Etienne Millner and Charlie Langton, the piece is the 12th and final one of its kind to be offered. It was purchased by racehorse owner Marc Chan for 165,000gns and all proceeds go to the National Horseracing Museum.

Bloodstock agent Jamie McCalmont was bidding on behalf of Chan and revealed afterwards why his client was so interested in the sculpture.

Firstly, Chan had visited the National Horseracing Museum over the summer with his family and had been so impressed with the venue, the exhibitions and the staff, particularly enjoying the horse equiciser and was really keen to show his support for the organisation.

Secondly, he was a great admirer of the late monarch, with enormous respect for her and her devotion and love of horseracing and as patron of the museum. He had seen and admired the maquette on display in the gallery and also another one in private ownership while visiting Newmarket and was very taken with the bronze.

Thirdly and finally, on September 11th the funeral cortege bearing the Queen’s coffin was making its way from Balmoral to Edinburgh. As it passed through the town of Kinross, the horse Marc Chan owns of the same name was winning the Group 2 Park Stakes at Doncaster!

Anne-Marie Hogan, director of the National Horseracing Museum, said: “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. 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.”