A final farewell and a heartfelt thank you from horseracing to the Queen

As the royal hearse pulled slowly away from Wellington Arch, a military band performed the national anthem, countless eyes filled with tears and, more than ever before, it felt like goodbye.

No words were sung for none were needed. Day by day, it becomes increasingly less strange to proclaim God Save The King, but for 70 years the music belonged to the Queen. Here, her funeral completed, church bells ringing and the monarch saluting his mother's coffin, she reclaimed the anthem for one last time.

Never more moving or filled with such symbolism, and like the closing theme of an epic film, the anthem played for her. Perhaps, it played for us all.

For so many in the United Kingdom and beyond, the death of Queen Elizabeth II has been deeply emotional and unsettling. It has removed from our lives a rare and constant presence. However, while the mourning has been collective, the grief belongs most to a family whose youngest representative in Westminster Abbey, Princess Charlotte, wore a piece of jewellery gifted to the seven-year-old by her great-grandmother. That small diamond horseshoe brooch was emblematic of a passion shared by the Queen and those who now read the Racing Post, as the Queen did every day.

Final Choice is ridden across Epsom racecourse at dawn break by his owner Michael JeffriesCredit: Edward Whitaker

Of the 2,000 people in the abbey, a handful represented horseracing. Among the mourners in the congregation were some of the turf's most famous figures, including those who trained and rode for this sport's greatest friend, a sovereign who only four days on from her coronation was present to see Aureole finish second in the Derby. She returned year after year, and although she will return no more, a horse bred by the Queen might yet right her Classic wrong.

That horse will not be Final Choice, but at 6.45am he was a poignant sight at Epsom racecourse.

It was as if the scene had been scripted. Set against a dramatic dawn sky that appeared to present a medley of the royal racing colours, the nine-year-old gelding circled by the mile pole, cooling off after morning exercise. He was owned by the Queen when he won a Bath handicap in June 2016. Now he belongs to Michael Jeffries, who has ridden him in races as an amateur and still does so most mornings.

"He's a lovely horse, an absolute gentleman," said Jeffries, who was clear about the need to be home in time for the funeral.

"It's sad because the Queen represented the whole of racing as well as the whole country," he added, expressing a view echoed by the members of Jim Boyle's string, whose saddlecloths had been adorned with Union Jacks, an idea suggested by head groom Louisa Allen and readily accepted by her boss.

"These horses all need looking after, so we had no chance of getting to London, but I thought it would be nice to do something for the Queen today," Allen said.

"Riding with the flag is about us paying our respects the best we can. The Queen has held the country together. She has done so much for our country. She was such an amazing lady and so dedicated to this sport. It's a huge loss and so sad."

Louisa Allen and Otago at Jim Boyle's Epsom yardCredit: Edward Whitaker

As she spoke, Allen was saddling up her second lot mount, Otago, another thoroughbred who was bred by the Queen and won in her silks. In his case, it was a Yarmouth maiden. Much grander was the Gold Cup so famously claimed in 2013 by Estimate, whose former morning rider, Allen's sister, Michelle, now works for Epsom trainer Lee Carter. She remembers that historic afternoon at Royal Ascot as the most amazing day she has ever experienced.

"Whenever I see those pictures of the Queen willing her home, I think, wow, I was a part of that," said Allen as she rode Sir Sedric past the Rubbing House pub.

"I met the Queen several times because she used to come up to the yard when I worked for Sir Michael Stoute. Whenever she came it always felt very relaxed. She would come over to me and ask if Estimate was behaving herself. She would even take my Polos and give them to her. It was just like being visited by your nan."

Just over two hours later in London, a nan, mum and monarch was commemorated with lashings of the pomp and pageantry for which the country she served is so strongly identified. That "loving service" was recognised in the Archbishop of Canterbury's funeral sermon, while over the hours that followed, often in solemn silence but sometimes through warm applause, the Queen was honoured as her final journey moved ever closer to its final destination.

It was not only the people who were there to say farewell. As the procession approached the grounds of Windsor Castle and travelled slowly up the Long Walk, the Queen passed by Emma, her beloved black fell pony. Save for being accompanied by Her Late Majesty's head groom Terry Pendry, Emma was alone on the grass, yet in that moment she represented Estimate, Otago, Final Choice and countless others.

Broadcasting from Windsor during the BBC's coverage, Kirsty Young had spoken of how the Queen had "brought the racing fraternity into the spotlight" and done much for the racing industry. It was a debt we who love the sport as she did can never repay.

This, therefore, was not simply a last goodbye. It was the most heartfelt thank you.

In Tuesday's Racing Post