Queen Elizabeth II: Racing 'has lost its best friend'

The Queen's racehorse trainer Nicky Henderson has said "racing has lost its best friend".

Paying tribute to the monarch, who died on Thursday at the age of 96, he said the sport had "been very lucky to have her".

Based in Lambourn, Berkshire, the jump trainer spoke to the Queen every Sunday to discuss plans with her horses.

"She liked to be very involved - we've been very privileged to have had her lovely horses," he said.

The Queen followed racing "all the time, she knew what was going on on a day-to-day basis - not only her own horses - she knew what all the horses were up to".

"She could enjoy and celebrate the successes but she was also a very, very good loser," Mr Henderson added.

Nicky Henderson said the Queen gave the sport something 'a little bit special'

He said they had enjoyed some "wonderful days together".

"It was a privilege and it was a pleasure, one can only say thank you because it gave us all something a little bit special," Mr Henderson said.

"I don't know what the future is going to hold - we've just got to let it all sink in - but I hope we'll be running again. We have lost a real great friend.

"We all send our sympathies and thoughts to her family."

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