Planning Your Visit To Ascot Racecourse – All You Need To Know

If you’re looking for an enjoyable day at the races, look no further than visiting the iconic Ascot racecourse. Ascot sees 26 days of racing every year, including the historical and prestigious Royal Meeting that is held for five days in June.

Ascot is an ideal place to enjoy dressing up, socialising and watching marvellous thoroughbred horse racing that will dazzle and astound. With Ascot being located only six miles from the beautiful town of Windsor, featuring Windsor Castle, it makes it the perfect day trip in addition to a spell of sightseeing in the local area.

About Ascot Racecourse

The racecourse was first founded in 1722 by Queen Anne. At this time, racing was open to any horse providing they were over six years of age, and they had to carry 12 stone in weight. Although horse racing has changed quite considerably since then, as a tribute and sign of gratitude to Queen Anne for founding this royal racecourse, the Royal Meeting in June is traditionally opened with the Queen Anne Stakes, and there is an enclosure named in her honour.

In 1813, an Act was passed in Parliament to ensure that Ascot would remain a public racecourse, and grandstands have been added to the arena ever since. Up until 1945, the only racing that took place at Ascot was the Royal Meeting, but since then, Ascot has welcomed many more races to the calendar, with jump season occurring from late October until April and flat season from May until mid-October.

Enjoy The Royal Meeting

The most famous event at Ascot and, undoubtedly one of the most famous horse racing events of the year is that of the Royal Meeting. It is a major event highlight that showcases some of the world’s finest horses, and it is truly an occasion that everyone should attend.

For horse racing fans, it is a remarkable occasion that sees nine of the 32 Group One horse races in just a five-day timeframe. Royal Ascot sees a staggering £6.58 million in prize money as well as a huge number of bets being placed on the action.

For others, each day of the Royal Meeting is a magical occasion where people watching takes centre stage rather than the horses. The experience is unique, whichever day you go, with around 300,000 people visiting during the five-day event. For enthusiasts, Tuesday offers three Group One races whereas Thursday features the prestigious Gold Cup, although is perhaps better known as Ladies’ Day where the day is a fashion event in itself.

Ladies’ Day is a spectacle; it is the perfect occasion for dressing up and enjoying a sophisticated, elegant and foremost fun affair. Held on Thursday, it is the perfect event for glamorous style, extraordinary fashion and fun-filled socialising.

Fun Facts About The Royal Meeting

During the iconic five-day event at Ascot, the sophisticated and elegant event also features quite a lot of drinking and revelry. In fact, during the five days the patrons consume;

51,000 bottles of champagne
160,000 glasses of Pimms
42,000 bottles of wine
131,000 pints of beer

With all of the fun of Ascot to be had, make sure you can take full advantage of the event by arriving in style, enjoy a selection of beverages during the event and have a stress-free, relaxing journey home by renting a coach to Ascot.

How To Get To Ascot

Ascot is conveniently located only a 50-minute car or bus ride away from London, in beautiful countryside. However, for race meetings, it can get very busy, and confusing diversions are put in place. If you want an elegant day out at Ascot, consider luxury coach hire.

Whether you are an international visitor coming from Heathrow or other airports or planning a trip with your family and friends from home, a luxury private coach is an ideal way to save yourself the hassle of public transport or driving yourself and allow you to fully enjoy the day without worry.

Trains can be exceptionally crowded, and public transportation can mean a long walk from the racecourse. Let yourself rest and relax and save your feet a long walk in impractical shoes by having a chauffeur service ready to take you from your specified location and pick you up from a well-placed coach carpark at Ascot.

Why Hire A Private Coach For Ascot With London Travel IN Ltd

Enjoy truly luxurious transportation, including leather seats, reclining seats, air-conditioning and a fridge for refreshments.
It is the quickest and most reliable way to get your party to the destination with minimal stress.
Make sure you arrive in style, keeping your outfit unruffled and your shoes unmarked. Avoid the hustle and bustle which could detract from your look and make a show-stopping impression at your arrival.
Have all of your travel needs covered by a trustworthy and reliable company complete with a friendly and helpful chauffeur so your day can be an event to remember without any worry or stress.
Be completely comfortable and relaxed during your travel – ideal for studying the form beforehand and counting your winning afterwards.
Courteous and uniformed drivers will make you feel like an A-list star.
Be refreshed, relaxed and composed throughout the whole day thanks to the luxury of a premier coach.
A sophisticated day at the races deserves sophisticated and stylish travel with chauffeur service.

What To Wear

Visiting Ascot is a profoundly regal and formal event, appropriate dress is necessary, and those not in correct attire will be turned away. Having said that, it should be a part of the event that you look forward to and enjoy. Make sure you follow the Ascot guidelines and let your imagination form your perfect outfit.

The different enclosures have slightly different dress codes, with the Royal Enclosure being the most formal and Queen Anne and Village Enclosure following closely by. For the Windsor and other enclosures there is no formal dress code, however, you are encouraged to dress in smart clothes befitting of the occasion.

For all areas, sports shirts, fancy dress and novelty or branded clothing is not permitted. If you want more inspiration on what to wear for your visit to Ascot, you can find their official style guide here: https://www.ascot.co.uk/dress-code.

Handy Hints For Your Visit

To help make sure you have the perfect trip to Ascot here are the final handy hints to make your visit a success;

Book your luxury coach or private transfer early to avoid disappointment and save hassle and stress.
Cash machines are limited at Ascot, so it is advisable to take cash with you.
Picnics are permitted in the Heath and Windsor Enclosure only and must be in a hamper or cool box. In these areas, only one bottle of sparkling wine or champagne is permitted per person; any other alcohol will be confiscated.
The Parade Ring can be accessed by Royal Enclosure or Queen Anne Enclosure ticket holders only.
Don’t forget to bring your camera, for treasured memories of your day out.