China Horse Club’s Teo Ah Khing moved with poise and purpose to support Britain’s National Horseracing Museum (NHRM) at Monday’s Goffs London Sale. The bronze maquette of ‘Mare and Foal with Her Majesty The Queen’ was auctioned to raise funds to support the iconic institution to which the monarch is patron.
In the year of Her Majesty’s Jubilee, the opportunity to support an institution whose work preserves the history of thoroughbred racing for current and future generations resonated. The contribution follows a similar gesture of support at last month’s Inglis Chairman’s Sale.
“To have been able to offer this collectors bronze at the Goffs sale in Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee year presented a particularly fitting time for lovers of racing and royalty to show their support for the National Horseracing Museum (NHRM),” said the Hon. Frances Stanley DL Chairman of the NHRM
“We are thrilled that Mr Teo Ah Khing has joined the small select group in owning one of these magnificent bronzes of The Queen’s Statue.
“Her Majesty The Queen was presented with Number one and it remains in the Royal Collection. Furthermore, this has raised significant charitable funds for one of the world’s most preeminent Horseracing museums situated in Newmarket, the Home of Horseracing.
“We are honoured that Mr Teo has supported this cause, which reflects and supports the history of the sport in this country.”
The statue is a maquette of the original bronze that stands in Newmarket at the entrance to the Rowley Mile racecourse and has become a symbol of Her Majesty’s enduring connection with the thoroughbred racehorse.
The statue by Etienne Millner and Charlie Langton was a gift to Her Majesty from the town itself in commemoration of her 90th birthday. The piece, funded by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai, was unveiled by Queen Elizabeth in 2016.
Langton, who was on hand for the auctioning of the maquette, is internationally recognized for his work especially his equine bronzes. In addition to ‘Mare and Foal with Her Majesty The Queen’ his works include famous racehorses Yeats, which holds pride of place at Britain’s Ascot Racecourse; Treve; Giant’s Causeway (at Ashford Stud, USA), Fastnet Rock (at Coolmore Australia), Goldikova, Coolmore’s trio of Sadler’s Wells, Galileo and Montjeu (Ireland), Kauto Star and more.
Her Majesty owns Number 1 of a limited collection of 12 maquettes of ‘‘Mare and Foal with Her Majesty The Queen’ which is displayed in Buckingham Palace. The remaining pieces are part of the collections of notable international collectors.
Pre-auction, Goffs Group Chief Executive, Henry Beeby was effusive in his praise for the opportunity to auction such a piece and in highlighting the importance of the cause its auctioning would support. Beeby said:
“Goffs is honoured to have been asked to auction the bronze of Her Majesty The Queen with a Mare and Foal at this year’s London Sale. Selling such a beautiful piece at Kensington Palace Gardens on the eve of Royal Ascot, particularly during The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year, should generate great interest among our guests in attendance and we hope to raise plenty of funds for the National Horseracing Museum who do such excellent work in showcasing and preserving the legacy of our wonderful sport.”