Where to watch the Stars of the Show at Ascot

The route of the horses on the day can be very interesting as it may be a good indication of how the horse is shaping up for the race. To give you the full Ascot racing experience, you can mirror the horses’ steps as outlined below:

Pre Parade Ring: The first sight of the horses is in the Pre-Parade Ring where they are walked around by their stable hand or ‘lad’ prior to having their saddle put on. After a few laps of the ring, the horse will be led to the saddling boxes to be kitted out for the Parade Ring.

Parade Ring: The Parade Ring is where you have the best sight of the horses before the race and where many racegoers make their selections. The horses are led into the Parade Ring to warm up and looked over by the vet about 15 minutes before the race.

This also acts as an opportunity for the jockeys to have a final word with the trainer about the race ahead. Once the bell is rung jockeys climb aboard their horses and make their way to the track where the horse will be loaded into the starting stalls.

The Race: Now it’s time to take your position for the race. At Ascot there are two admission areas in which to watch the race. The Premier Admission area on Level 4 of the Grandstand overlooks the whole course and Grandstand Admission offers a closer view on the Concourse level. Both areas have a great view of the straight mile leading up to the finish.

The Winners’ Enclosure: Having watched the race, and with any luck seeing the horse you backed come in first, it’s time to head back to the Parade Ring. Each jockey will then remove the saddle and be weighed in, making sure they have not lost any weight giving them an unfair advantage. Once the buzzer is sounded the result is finalised. You can then watch the trophy presentation to the owner, trainer and jockey in the Winners’ Enclosure.

The Queen Anne Legacy

As Ascot approaches its 300th birthday, John Blake looks at the life and times of the racecourse’s founder; Queen Anne.

On 11th August 2011, it will be 300 years to the day that Ascot held its first race meeting. Tradition has it that, whilst on a leisurely ride from Windsor Castle, Queen Anne had the notion that the land at East Cote looked like the perfect spot for horses to canter at full stretch. Over time, East Cote became Ascot and the rest, as they say, is history!

The first race was Her Majesty’s Plate worth 100 guineas and open to any horse, mare or gelding over the age of six. This contest bore little resemblance to the racing you will see at Ascot today. The seven horses were all English Hunters, quite different to the speedy thoroughbreds on show at this year’s Royal Meeting. The race consisted of three separate heats which were over four miles long, so the winner would have been a horse with tremendous stamina. Sadly, there is no record of the winner of the first race.

Queen Anne gets a pretty rough ride in the history books, portrayed as a monarch beset by personal ill-health and political skulduggery. However, without her vision there would be no Ascot Racecourse, or Royal Ascot for that matter. There are also plenty of other reasons why we should appreciate Queen Anne; a monarch whose erstwhile contribution to this country is too often overlooked by historians.

Anne was born in St. James Palace on 6th February 1665, the year the Great Plague terrorised the country. It could be argued that this fateful omen shaped the rest of her life. One cannot help but be touched by the way Anne dealt with the trials and tribulations that life threw at her. As a child, Anne suffered from an eye infection that saw her shipped off to live with her grandmother Henrietta Maria of France and, in her adult years, she was ravaged by gout that turned to erysipelas and eventually killed her on 1st August 1714; aged just 49.

On 28th July 1683, Anne married Prince George of Denmark. With her husband, she suffered the trauma of four miscarriages, seven still births and six children who would not live to celebrate their second birthday, with the exception of William Duke of Gloucester, a sickly child who tragically contracted smallpox on his eleventh birthday and subsequently died. This lack of an heir would lead to turmoil after her death including two Jacobite rebellions in 1715 and 1719.

Following the death of her father, William III in March 1702, Anne became embroiled in the attempt to unify England and Scotland. When the Act of Settlement was passed in 1701, the English Parliament saw fit not to consult with the Parliament of Scotland. In retaliation, the Scots passed an act decreeing that only the government north of the border could elect the next Scottish monarch. To unravel this political conundrum, Anne appointed commissioners to arbitrate between the English and the Scots, resulting in the Articles of Union which eventually united the two realms.

The reign of Queen Anne saw the development of today’s two party political system. Similar to the present day, the political merry-go-round was not short of intrigue and machinations with Whigs and Tories jockeying for position. Although the monarchy’s power was stripped following the days of republican Commonwealth sixty or so years earlier, Anne found herself at the centre of a political power struggle in February 1708 when the Duke of Marlborough (of Battle of Blenheim fame) and Sidney Godolphin all but forced her to sack the then Secretary of State, Robert Harley, over the leaking of documents from his department (sounds familiar, doesn’t it!).

Heartbreak struck again in October the same year when Anne’s beloved husband, Prince George of Denmark, and Lord High Admiral, died. Anne was devastated by the loss, but ever resourceful and pragmatic - as well as not trusting any politician to do the job properly - she appointed herself the head of the Admiralty.

The reign of Anne is also notable for the advance of artistic, literary and scientific achievements. In architecture, Sir John Vanburgh constructed impressive landmarks such as Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard. The age saw eminent writers such as Daniel Defoe, Alexander Pope and Jonathan Swift, flourish. Her name is also associated with the world’s first copyright law known as the Statute of Anne, which granted exclusive rights to authors as opposed to printers.

The Queen Anne architectural style became popular in the late 1800s, the Bluecoat Building in Liverpool being a prime example, with her name harking back to a sense of old world elegance and extravagant, ornate detail.

Queen Anne’s influence also extended overseas; the American city of Annapolis, Maryland, which originally bore several other names, was given its present name in 1694 by Sir Francis Nicholson, in honour of the then Princess Anne. Princess Anne County, Virginia, was named before her accession to the throne and Queen Anne's County in Maryland was named for her in 1706. Furthermore, upon its capture from the French in 1710, Port-Royal in Nova Scotia was renamed Annapolis Royal.

Rather glibly, we like to think that Queen Anne’s greatest achievement was the creation of the world’s most famous racecourse and her legacy is in the millions of racehorses, owners, trainers, jockeys and racegoers that have graced East Cote for the past three hundred years. So, in 2011 let’s raise our glasses to the ever resourceful, visionary and resilient Queen Anne.

If you would like to share your memories of past visits to Ascot with us, please write to 1711 to 2011 Memories, Ascot Racecourse, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7JX or e-mail 1711to2011@ascot.co.uk. All photographs will be returned.

What’s On: Ascot Countryside Raceday, Sunday 18th April 2010

As well as the superb Jumps racing, including the Independent Newspapers Veterans Handicap Chase, here's a look at what will be happaning on Countryside Raceday at Ascot Racecourse on Sunday 18th April:

The Family Farm
Come and see all the fun of the farm. We have loads of furry friends all looking forward to seeing you. Visit Goat Mountain where you will be able to feed the greedy goats snacks. You will also be able to get up close and personal with guinea pigs, lamb and chicks.

Ferreting Fun
Watch the ferrets scamper down coloured tubes with the winners richly rewarded with a tasty treat. These animals have a life of their own, so the races never turn out quite as you’d expect. Don’t get too close as you may find a ferret running up your leg!

Terrier Tomfoolery
Be prepared for fast and furious fun with these fantastic little terrors. Pick your favourite and cheer them home. For entertainment value alone, the unpredictable antics of these lovable dogs is well worth watching.

Totally Quackers
Watch the highly entertaining Quack Pack in action on the Grandstand Lawn. Kids are invited into the arena to help the ducks waddle around their obstacle course.

Watch Out - Low Flying Falcons About
The Hawkeye team, based on the borders of Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire are here with their amazing birds of prey to provide you with exciting and dynamic flying demonstrations. Watch the masters of the sky sour overhead in this most magical of demonstrations.

The Mini Beast Safari
For everything slimy, slippery, creepy and crawly head to the concourse of the Grandstand where you will be able to see all sorts of snakes, spiders and multi legged critters.


Let Us Show You Around
Colts and Fillies members are invited to join the tour is Ascot Racecourse. From Sovereign’s Gate on the road side of the Parade Ring at 11.30am. The tour is aimed at younger racegoer and gives an insight into racing at Ascot. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Please note that the tour is limited to the first 25 people and operates on a first come, first served basis.


The Charitable Pig Company
Pugs are special; intelligent, affectionate, inquisitive and playful. Pete Adams, founder of The Charitable Pig Company will be showcasing his rare breeds.

But that’s not all. There will also be Laser Shooting, a Parade of Hounds along the race tracks, the Kintbury Gun Dogs and Mask Making in the Pavilion.

Shop to Your Heart’s Content
We have a wide variety of shopping opportunities spread all over the Racecourse:

• Boo: Clothing with a sense of fun, colour and sensuality
• Claremont Clothing: Pashminas, belts and accessories
• Conversation Pieces: Pictures and prints
• Dubarry of Ireland: Classic leather bootmaker
• Estribos Argentina: Weather proof hats and leather goods
• Fowler Brothers: Casual country clothing
• Fur, Feather & Fin: Shooting accessories and ladies clothing
• Joules: Simple, comfortable, timeless clothing
• Judy Thompson: Classic, stylish shoes
• Keith Fleetwood: Walking Sticks
• Liz Armstrong: Liz’s own artwork
• Mary Kelly: Bold clothing for the, stylish woman
• Mr. Atkinson: Magic and jokes galore
• Peruvian Treasures: Jewellery for the land of the Incas
• The Playhouse Co.: Tree and playhouses
• Tom Hil Sculptures: Intriguing sculptures made from horseshoes

The Origin of Horse Racing Phrases

FROM THE ULTIMATE HORSE SITE: http://ultimatehorsesite.com/

Many terms and phrases in the English language harken back to a time not so long ago when horses were of extreme importance. Phrases like stubborn as a mule, beating a dead horse, horseplay, horsing around and horse laugh are self- evident and require no explanation. Other phrases have origins obscured in the past. Some, like the humorous reference to an automobile as a horseless carriage, have survived longer than many would have anticipated. Although we rarely stop to look at their literal meanings, many of these linguistic phrases embody useful information about equine behavior or the care and treatment of horses. Everyone is acquainted with the sayings You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink, which was cited as a proverb as early as 1546, and That’s a horse of a different color, which probably originated in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night in 1601.
The familiar old phrase Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth refers to the practice of horse traders determining the age of a horse by its anterior teeth, or incisors. The incisors erupt and wear down according to a fairly consistent schedule through the life of the horse. As the incisors wear down, the chewing surface changes in appearance, exposing more and more of the infundibulum, a natural concavity in the anterior teeth. By looking at the lower incisors to see which permanent teeth have erupted and considering their stage of wear, knowledgeable horse traders can estimate the age of the horse. Since older horses are less useful for heavy work, determining the age helps to evaluate a horse’s worth. Hence, looking a gift horse in the mouth is the equivalent of asking someone how much they paid for a gift they have just given you and then complaining that it was not expensive enough. Getting information straight from the horse’s mouth is also probably derived from the fact that a smart horse trader would look into a horse’s mouth for himself to determine its age, rather than trusting the word of the seller.
Eating like a horse originates from the fact that horses spend much of their time consuming large quantities of food. The equine digestive system is unusual. Other grazers, like cattle, sheep and goats have four-chambered stomachs and rather slow digestive systems. The horse, on the other hand, has just one chamber in its stomach, and most of the fermentation occurs farther on in the cecum. In proportion to the total body weight, the horse’s digestive system is only about one third the size of that of a cow. This fact means that food passes through a horse much faster than it does through a cow or other ruminant, so the horse requires more food in order to obtain sufficient nutrients.
Good old horse sense most likely refers to the accumulation of knowledge about horses acquired by humans, not to the intelligence of horses. In order to buy, care for, train, handle, breed and work with horses, one must know a great deal about them. The appreciation of such knowledge about horses was evident even by the fourth century B.C., when the Greek writer Xenophon wrote his treatise The Art of Horsemanship, which covered such topics as how to avoid being cheated when buying a horse, and how to train, groom, mount, ride and stable a horse.
Horse sense probably does not refer to the intelligence of horses since they are, unfortunately, limited in this regard. Relative to their body size, horses have very small brains. Their behavior is linked primarily to instincts rather than to innate intelligence. Their strongest qualities relate to their instincts to flee from dangerous predators, to eat and drink regularly, to seek security in numbers, and to mate successfully. The training of horses relies, therefore, on repetition and the development of conditioned reflexes through reward or punishment. The most successful training takes into account the natural instincts of the horse and capitalizes on them. Thus, for example, young horses are enticed to jump over fences by having adult horses jumping ahead. The foal will concentrate on staying with the group and will leap over obstacles that it would otherwise avoid.
Horses are known for two things when it comes to locomotion: power and speed. Horsepower is a unit of power needed to lift 165 pounds 27 inches high in one second. The average horse is actually 10 to 13 times stronger than that, meaning that one horse normally is capable of producing 10 to 13 units of horsepower.
The phrase putting the cart before the horse is probably ancient, because it first appeared in print in 1520 in Robert Whitinton’s Vulgaria. Horses have been used to pull a number of vehicles, including carts, wagons, carriages, chariots and sleighs, hence the phrase to work like a horse. Before horses could be used to pull heavy loads, special yokes had to be designed, because the typical ox yoke would have applied too much pressure to the windpipe of a horse, cutting off its supply of oxygen.
Many phrases are linked to riding skills, dressage and racing. During the Age of Chivalry, a knight was considered chivalrous if he was adept at riding a horse in full armor, which is not easy when the armor and rider together weighed around 440 pounds. Telling someone to get off his high horse probably originated from the fact that knights had to ride specially bred large horses because of the enormous weight of their armor. Nobles would ride through town quite literally looking down on others from their tall horses. Later on, politicians paraded in ceremonial processions on unusually large horses. A Scottish proverb incorporating a reference to one’s “high horse” was cited by James Kelly in 1721. Come off it is also derived from this saying.
Chivalry is from the French word for horse, cheval. Because of the code of gallantry, which knights were required to know well, chivalry eventually came to be associated with the ideal behavior for noblemen. Cavalier, which now means to behave aristocratically or in a dismissive manner, is the term one assigned to gentlemen who rode for the military.
Putting on airs may come from a term used in dressage to indicate a movement in which the horse’s legs are off the ground. The various “airs” above ground are performed chiefly by horses trained in the hautes écoles (high schools), like the Spanish Riding School of Vienna. To put on airs, then, would be to show off a talent that is shared only with the most elite.
Tilting at windmills, which refers to attempting the ludicrous or impossible, is based on an episode in Cervantes’ 17th- century classic Don Quixote, in which the hero believes the windmills are monsters that he intends to take on in mortal combat. Tilting is the competition in medieval jousting tournaments in which one contestant tries to knock the other off his horse. Shakespeare was one of the first to write about charging ahead at full tilt, a phrase that came to refer to proceeding with determination as quickly as possible in a particular endeavor.
Horse racing is a fruitful source of clichés. Starting from scratch first implied that someone was being honest in a horse race by making sure that his horse’s front feet were just behind a line drawn in the dirt road that marked where the race was to commence. Although the phrase up to scratch was first published in reference to boxing 160 years ago, it may have been used earlier in horse races. A dark horse candidate is one about whom little is known. The term comes from cases in which the public is either intentionally or accidentally kept in the dark regarding certain facts about a horse that may possess the necessary qualities to win the race. A horse’s lack of a reputation puts those betting on it at an advantage. In 1831 Benjamin Disraeli wrote in The Young Duke, “A dark horse, which had never been thought of . . . rushed past the grand stand in sweeping triumph.” Disraeli himself was quite a dark horse in British politics.
They’re off and running, uttered by many racetrack announcers, has come to refer to any situation in which the participants have made a strong beginning, especially in politics. Beating a dead horse was first applied to politics when Richard Cobden, a member of Parliament, was accused of this deed in 1887 when he kept pressing to reduce the budget. Giving someone a leg up literally refers to helping him or her onto a horse or a wall, whereas going on a wild goose chase refers to an equestrian sport started in Ireland.
Some equine words and phrases are taken from horse tackle rather than from the horse itself. The origin of the phrase bits and pieces may have come from parts of a bridle. The bit fits into the mouth of the horse and rests on the gum between the incisors and the cheek teeth. It assists in controlling the pace and direction of the horse, as well as the position in which the animal holds its head. The cheekpieces are the parts of the bridle that connect the bit and the headstall. Bits and pieces were collected and piled together in a barn or stable, hence the use of bits and pieces as a collective term for many small and varied objects.
Someone who is frustrated by restraint or delay is said to be champing at the bit. This phrase comes from the nervous behavior of a horse in response to the restraint of wearing a metal bit in its mouth, which the horse chews or gnashes on, particularly if it is uncomfortable. Champing also refers to a behavior seen in wild horses in which the animal opens and closes its mouth rapidly, with lips drawn back at the corners and held away from the teeth. This behavior conveys submission to another horse in recognition of the second horse’s superior social ranking.
Going ahead hell for leather originally meant that a person who was riding as fast and hard as possible would put a lot of wear and tear on his leather saddle, bridle and stirrups. Rudyard Kipling may have been the first to coin the phrase in 1899 when he wrote “The Story of Gadsbys.” Riding roughshod over someone is to disregard the person’s physical and mental welfare. A horse is roughshod when the nails are left protruding out of its shoes so that the animal does not slip and fall. Being ridden over by a roughshod horse would be agonizing. In 1790 Robert Burns wrote about “a rough-shod troop o’Hell,” and Thomas Moore used the term in its modern metaphorical sense in his 1813 Intercepted Letters when he wrote, “‘Tis a scheme of the Romanists, so help me God! To ride over Your Most Royal Highness roughshod.”
One surprising word with equine origins is crinoline, which commonly refers to a full petticoat or a stiff type of cotton cloth used for interlinings. Crinoline originally referred to a loose-weave horsehair cloth used as a stiff lining for hats and lapels and as fabric for petticoats that helped skirts to stand out and look full. The word is derived from the Latin words crinis, meaning “hair,” and linum, meaning “thread.”
Our daily use of horse terms and phrases does not stop there. Little girls wear ponytails, and you must pony up when it is time to settle your account. While the old gray mare ain’t what she used to be and nightmares may not conjure up positive connotations for female horses, a man who is referred to as a stallion certainly has a reputation to live up to. Backing the wrong horse, either literally or figuratively, is as disadvantageous as is changing horses in midstream.
The persistence of these familiar words and phrases reveals how thoroughly horses have influenced the way we think.

The Brits are coming to the Royal Ascot Fashion Show

Introducing the ultimate showcase for the hottest couture from the world’s catwalks, the Royal Ascot Fashion Show returns to the Bessborough Restaurant for the five days of Royal Ascot (Tuesday 15th June – Saturday 19th June).

The catwalk front-liners for this year are the Grand Dame of British fashion and three times British Designer of the Year, Vivienne Westwood, maestro of milliners Stephen Jones, fashions finest Amanda Wakeley who recently received an OBE for her services to the fashion industry, entourage to the stars - Matthew Williamson and the holder of three Royal Warrants Gieves & Hawkes.

This exclusive fashion show gives guests a unique insight into the world of fashion where these top British designers will showcase a variety of their collection usually only seen on the international catwalks.

Vivienne Westwood shows off a more edgy look with signature pieces from her Spring/Summer Gold Label 2010 and archive collection.

Stephen Jones entertains racegeors with a fresh approach with hats from his ABC Spring/Summer 2010 ready to wear and bespoke range. A is for Art, the art of Japan. B is for Beauty, the beauty of France. C is for Commerce, the commerce of America.

Amanda Wakeley showcases outfits from her Spring/Summer 2010 range. Designing the range herself since claiming back her business last year, racegoers will be treated to Grecian draped gowns and togas in egg yolk yellow, grey and peach, unstructured draped blazers, voluminous harem trousers, barely-there swimsuits twisting and turning around the body in raspberry and burnt umber, tulip-shaped skirts and gold sequin mini dresses.

Matthew Williamson uses the Fashion Show catwalk to unveil his Spring/Summer 2010 collection of shift dresses in fine metallic tweeds encrusted with geometric jewels, the exaggerated shoulders adding to the fierce Williamson attitude. A child of the Eighties, the designer has a way of taking some of that decade’s most garish elements and whipping them into a thoroughly modern, super cool new look. Form fitting trousers feature side seams of snakeskin paired with peep toe stiletto boots and cropped biker jackets, while a flash of neon yellow appears in a cowel necked chiffon top tucked into a blue leather pencil skirt.

Gieves and Hawkes will parade their own traditional Morning and Dinner Suits. Recently worn by Dermot O’Leary when hosting the National Television Awards, the slim-fit black dinner suit was finished with hand-sewn piped satin lapels complemented perfectly by a made to measure crisp white shirt, black silk tie and hand-made patent dress shoes. Further styles will be seen on the catwalk of their Morning and Dinner Suit range.

The daily fashion show, in association with Longines, is one of the highlights of the Royal Meeting where guests can enjoy a show of five sets put on between courses of luncheon and will finish in time for the arrival of HRH The Queen just before the start of the first race each day.

Gary England, Director of Hospitality, comments “We are delighted to be supporting British fashion especially at a time when British fashion designers are returning to the UK to showcase their collections. For many of the collections it’s the first time that some of them have been seen on UK soil so guests of the Bessborough restaurant are in for a real treat.”

THE DESIGNERS
Vivienne Westwood
Vivienne Westwood is both iconoclast and a global icon having electrified the world for the last 30 years. She is one of the most inventive and influential designers of our time. Best known for her fearless nonconformity, she also has a profound respect for the past and looks to it for inspiration and however outrageous or provocative the result, her approach has always been practical – this is what makes Vivienne one of fashion’s most respected figures.

Stephen Jones
Stephen Jones is considered one of the world's most radical and important milliners of the late 20th and early 21st centuries and is also one of the most prolific, having created hats for the catwalk shows of many leading couturiers and fashion designers. Jones has always made millinery seem modern and compelling. In materials that were often radical, and in designs that ranged from refined to whimsical, his exquisitely crafted, quixotic hats have always encapsulated the fashion mood of the moment.

Amanda Wakeley
In the 2010 New Year Honours List Her Majesty The Queen appointed Amanda Wakeley an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). The award, for services to the British Fashion Industry, also recognises the considerable contribution that Amanda makes as founding co-Chair of Fashion Targets Breast Cancer (FTBC).

Amanda Wakeley launched her signature label in 1990 and over the last two decades has developed an international reputation for designing stylish, supremely luxurious, womenswear and accessories. She is the winner of several awards including three British Fashion Awards for Glamour. In April 2009, Amanda completed the buy-back of her business, saving over 50 jobs across the United Kingdom. Since then she has relaunched her brand, opened a new Flagship Store and achieved critical acclaim when she returned to London Fashion Week in September 2009

Matthew Williamson
The year 2007 marked a 10 year anniversary for Matthew Williamson - he launched in 1997 with his debut Electric Angels show. To celebrate, he curated an exhibition about his work at the Design Museum, London.Matthew Williamson won the Red Carpet Designer of the Year at the 2008 British Fashion Awards; previously having been awarded Elle Designer of the Year in 2004 and the 2005 Moet and Chandon Fashion Tribute Award. He has also been nominated 3 times for Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards. His entourage have always been a key part of his popularity - whether it was Kate Moss in the early days or latterly Sienna Miller and stylist Bay Garnett, who also worked for him

Gieves & Hawkes
All over the world, Savile Row stands for the very best in men’s tailoring and so it is fitting that Gieves & Hawkes should be “No 1 Savile Row” The Company has held three Royal Warrants since 1809, an unbroken record of service to successive Monarchs and members of their families.

Tickets and fine dining packages for Royal Ascot 2009, (Tuesday, 15th June to Saturday, 19th June) are now on sale. To find out more information or to make a booking please visit our online booking kiosk at www.ascot.co.uk, call the Hospitality Team on 0870 727 4321 or email hospitality@ascot.co.uk.

Further Information
For high resolution images and further information please contact Sarah-Jane Muirie @ Johnno Spence Consulting on 020 7385 8819 or sj@jscsport.co.uk.

Over 200 Real Ales, Ciders & Perries to be Showcased at Ascot this September

4th Annual Ascot Racecourse Beer Festival: Friday 24th & Saturday 25th September 2010.

You can expect more than just excellent quality racing at the 4th Ascot Racecourse Beer Festival in association with CAMRA and Fuller’s on Friday 24th and Saturday 25th September 2010. With the help of CAMRA Berkshire South East branch and Fuller’s, Ascot Racecourse will be showcasing over 200 beers, ciders and perries predominantly from local craft brewers.

‘The Ascot Beer Festival continues to go from strength to strength. Since its inception, we have gone from selling 6,500 pints in 2007 to a whopping 21,000 pints in 2009. To meet demand, we have increased the choice of real ales, ciders and perries available to racegoers by over a third’, said John Blake, Head of Sales and Marketing at the Berkshire track.

‘Following the success of the first three Ascot Beer Festivals, CAMRA is delighted to be invited back to Ascot Racecourse. This is an excellent opportunity for us to introduce the enormous variety of real ales available from independent brewers to an audience who wouldn’t usually attend a beer festival’ CAMRA Festival Organiser Mike Smith added.

Richard Fuller, Sales Director at Fuller’s, said ‘Ascot Racecourse is a fantastic venue and we have worked with Ascot and CAMRA on all the previous festivals, which were a great success. I am very much looking forward to showcasing our beers over the course of the 4th festival in September.’

Sump, a superb example of a black Russian style stout from Wantage based Pitstop Brewery, returns to defend its title of the Ascot Racecourse Beer of the Festival. This is very much a people’s award as it is the racegoers who will be voting for their champion ale.

The racing over the two days is of the highest quality including Saturday’s Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes; Europe’s highest rated mile race.

Tickets start from just £11. To book call 0870 727 1234 or visit ascot.co.uk. Gates and bars open at 11am with the first race off at 2pm. A voucher system will be in operation for all Beer Festival ales, perries and ciders. A half pint is priced at £1.40 and a pint £2.80. A limited edition commemorative oversized pint glass is available for £4.

Royal Ascot: The Greatest Race Meeting in The World

There are few sporting venues that can match the rich heritage and history of Ascot Racecourse. Over the past 250 years Royal Ascot has established itself as a national institution and the centrepiece of the British social calendar as well as being the ultimate stage for the best racehorses in the world.

Tradition, pageantry, fashion and style all meet in a glorious setting at one of the most beautiful racecourses in the country. The quality of the horseracing at Royal Ascot is simply outstanding, with £4 million in prize money on offer and a total of seventeen “Group” races over the five days.

Located on Crown Estate land, the racecourse was founded by Queen Anne in 1711. The monarch decreed that the village of ‘East Cote’, now known as Ascot had good galloping ground for horses to exercise upon and instructed that her Master of the Buckhounds should lay out a racecourse. There has been racing at Ascot ever since and the racing during the Royal meeting is second to none. Such is the sustained quality over five days that it is often referred to as the Olympics of the sport by those participating. Owners, trainers and jockeys all dream of having just one winner at Royal Ascot as it’s the pinnacle of the flat season.

Nick Smith, Ascot’s Head of International Racing said: ‘There is no week’s racing like Royal Ascot anywhere in the world in terms of quality and diversity. There are championship contests for all distances and age groups and competition comes from all around the world.’

On the opening day, Tuesday, 15th June, there are three Group One races on the six race card – The Queen Anne Stakes, The St James’s Palace Stakes and The King’s Stand Stakes. On Wednesday, the feature race is The Prince of Wales’s Stakes, one of the highest rated races run in the world every year. Thursday features the best known race at Royal Ascot, The Gold Cup, which celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2007. Last year, the great Yeats completed an unprecedented fourth win in the prestigious long distance contest. The top female horses take centre stage on Friday in The Coronation Stakes, run over a mile, whilst Saturday’s feature race is The Golden Jubilee Stakes, renamed in 2002 to mark Her Majesty The Queen’s Golden Jubilee. Tuesday’s King’s Stand Stakes and the Golden Jubilee Stakes are Royal Ascot’s championship sprint races and part of the Global Sprint Challenge. They are the most international races in the European calendar, having attracted runners from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the USA, Hong Kong and all over Europe this decade.

Royal Ascot 2010 takes place from Tuesday 15th to Saturday 19th June inclusive. Tickets start from just £56 in Grandstand Admission and £17 in the Silver Ring. To book call 0870 727 1234 or visit ascot.co.uk