ROSE Paterson, chairman of Aintree and a member of The Jockey Club’s main board of stewards, was found dead near her home in Shropshire this week. She was 63. Her husband Owen, a Conservative MP, is a former Northern Ireland Secretary and Environment Secretary. The couple have three adult children.

During the period of her husband’s appointment in Northern Ireland, the couple attended the Irish Derby at the Curragh.

In a statement issued after the news was announced, Mr Paterson said: “Rose and I were married for 40 happy years. She was a wonderful, caring wife, mother and grandmother. Her death has come as a terrible shock to us all.”

The Hon Mrs Paterson was appointed chairman of Aintree in 2014, having been a director at the home of the Randox Health Grand National since 2005. She was appointed a steward of The Jockey Club last year.

Sandy Dudgeon, senior steward of The Jockey Club, said: “This is tragic news and our thoughts go out to Rose’s husband Owen and all members of her family.

“Rose was a wonderful person and involved in so many aspects of our sport. She was a skilled chairman at Aintree, a valued member of our board of stewards and headed up our horse welfare group. She also enjoyed participating at grassroots level over many years. We appreciated her contribution very much and my fellow stewards and I looked forward to hearing her sound views on a subject, where she was always sensitive to the best course of action for racing. She will be missed greatly for the person she was.”

Mrs Paterson previously worked at Sotheby’s was also a former Daily Telegraph arts correspondent. She was the daughter Matthew White Ridley, 4th Viscount Ridley.