The Royal Ascot is one of the most famous horse races in the world and is a major event in the British social calendar. It is run at the Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire in the UK. There are 16 Group races with one Group One event on each day. The Royal Ascot runs for five days and the Ascot Gold Cup is awarded on the Thursday – Ladies’ Day. The total purse for the event is more than £3,000,000.
History
The Royal Ascot was first run in 1711 with a prize of 100 guineas and is now run annually during June. The Gold Cup was introduced in 1807 and this may be the origin of the Royal Meeting. The Royal Ascot is Europe’s best attended horse race with more than 300,000 people visiting Berkshire during Royal Ascot week. The race is attended each day by the Queen who arrives in her famous horse drawn carriage.
Dress Code
Dress code at the Royal Ascot is a serious affair and often there is more television coverage of what the ladies are wearing than of the actual race. The Royal Enclosure has a strict dress code with the males being required to wear full morning dress and top hat and the ladies being required to conceal their midriff and shoulders and wear head coverings. The dress code is less formal once a person is standing outside the Royal Enclosure, however, as part of the mood, many choose to adhere to it.
The Race
The Ascot Racecourse is a flat track. The race is a National hunt for thoroughbred horses.