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Royal Ascot
Royal Ascot is one of the most prestigious race meetings with nearly 300 years of tradition and is one of the highlights of Britain's social and sporting calendar. Smart dress, fine food, champagne and excellent racing are all combined in one social event which lasts 4 days in June.
In 1711 Queen Anne, whilst riding in the forests around Windsor Castle, discovered some land near a village called East Cote, now named Ascot, which seemed to her ideal for racing horses. The area was acquired for just £558 to become the Royal Racecourse with the first horse race taking place that year in the presence of the Queen and her Court.
After the death of Queen Anne, racing declined in the reign of King George I who disregarded all sports, but in 1920 racing began again at the Royal Racecourse following a format of procession and races that has hardly changed since.
Tradition is still continued today with the Queen, now Queen Elizabeth II, leaving Windsor Castle every afternoon in an open horse-drawn carriage, arriving at Royal Ascot through the Golden Gates and leading the Royal Procession along the entire length of the racecourse. Only when the royal party are seated can racing begin.
The race meeting starts with the Queen Anne Stakes and commemorates the foundation of the course.
Royal Ascot is a social event as much as a race meeting with a tradition of smart dress and fashion. On Gold Cup Day, or Ladies Day as it is also known the ladies attending often wear spectacular hats and Ascot is famous for the hats and fashion on show by racegoers. Equally famous is the Gold Cup race which is one of the longest flat races being run over 2-and-half miles.
Ascot Racecourse is divided into three main enclosures for the public: The Member's Enclosure, The Grandstand which includes access to the paddock and the Silver Ring - only the privileged have access to the Royal Enclosure.
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