What’s The Most Fashionable Racing Event?
Horse racing is the only sport where you can dress up to the nines and not look completely out of place. You wouldn’t wear a three-piece suit or an evening dress to a football match, would you? But that’s exactly the kind of attire you can get away with at the races.
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Of course, although most of the bigger racing festivals welcome well-dressed patrons, not all race meets are the same. That’s why you’ll only find celebrities and royals alike at only a few festivals throughout the year.
But before we talk style and fashion, let’s talk a little about the actual sport.
Know A Thing Or Two About Horse Racing?
Now, you may just want to go just for the heck of it, but it’s more fun to at least have a rudimentary grasp on the actual sport, right? So if you want to impress your friends, find out who the runners are in the main races and use a fast global results feed to keep an eye on their progress before the meet. That way when it comes the time to put on a bet, you’ll wow your pals with your insider knowledge and you might even win a few quid!
Remember too that you don’t need to bet on every race. If you prefer, you can soak in the atmosphere and put wagers only on the biggest races.
Cheltenham Festival
It might be one of the most famous racing events in the world, but Cheltenham doesn’t attract high society quite as much as the other events on this list. It’s a huge four-day festival with the jewel in the British horse racing crown, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, on offer. And that’s what makes this particular festival the perfect one for the true horse racing lovers.
You’ll find plenty of well-dressed folk around Cheltenham during the festival with a huge percentage of the visitors being Irish racing fans. The festival is usually held around St. Patrick’s Day which is why so many Irish like to come over. Is it lots of fun? You better believe it, but it’s not a hotpot of style and high fashion.
Grand National at Aintree
Held each year at Aintree, the Grand National is the race that stops the nation. Every single person who has a passing interest in the sport will pick a horse for this race. It’s certainly the most popular race on the British racing calendar in terms of spectators and so it attracts people from all walks of life.
Best dressed ladies are an Aintree thing and it’s not unusual to see the likes of Coleen Rooney and Alex Gerrard strutting their stuff on Ladies Day. For couples who want to dress well and watch a great race, then this is possibly the best option on the list. In fact, Paddy McGuinness and wife Christine call it their annual couple day.
Epsom Derby Festival
The Epsom Derby is a real under-the-radar festival that non-racing fans may not know too much about. Nevertheless, it’s an event that attracts 150,000 people with a prize purse in excess of £1,625,000. Impressive for a festival you know nothing about, right?
So why is it so stylish? Well, Epsom is just a stone’s throw from London proper and while it’s not as glam as the Grand National, it still attracts quite a lot of celebrities. Like Cheltenham, this is a festival that is highly thought of by racing fans but if you want to be seen at a more sophisticated event, then perhaps Epsom is the one for you.
Royal Ascot
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Last but by no means least, we come to Royal Ascot. While the Queen may be in attendance at Epsom, this is the festival for royalty. Yes, there are a few races going on in the background, but this particular festival is pretty much all about those in attendance.
As mentioned, you’ll see the Queen and a whole host of lords and ladies while the celebrities are out in force at Ascot. If you were to choose one racing festival to be seen at or just one to visit in your lifetime, then this is the one. Remember though, you’ll need some serious style if you want to get your photo in the papers. After all, you have the Queen to compete with.