Royal Ascot: A Festival Unlike Any Other

By the time we head into the balmy month of June, the Premier League season may be over and done with for another year. However, the sporting calendar continues to tick over with barely a pause for breath, with a stream of high-profile events on offer over the course of the summer months.

Biggest of all on the racing front, is the five-day extravaganza that is the Royal Ascot Festival – horse racing’s classiest and most prestigious meeting bar none. Taking place between Tuesday 20th and Saturday 24th June 2023, this event of equine excellence is well worth a look for those checking out the latest festival news and punters assessing the best new betting sites for Royal Ascot.

The Berkshire event is, of course, but one of many horse racing festivals scattered throughout the season. So what makes this spectacular event stand out from the crowd?

A Royal Procession

Almost since it began, flat horse racing has been labelled the “Sport of Kings”. Rarely has that description been more fitting than in reference to Royal Ascot. The clue is, of course, in the title, and if a sight of the British Monarchy in the flesh features on your wish list, Royal Ascot is the place to be in the middle of June.

Before the start of racing on each of the five days, racegoers are treated to a Royal procession down the centre of the track. Think horse-drawn carriages, gleaming regalia, and THAT famous Royal wave as the reigning monarch salutes the massed throngs…it’s all a far cry from your typical day at the races.

Queen Elizabeth II was a huge racing fan throughout her lifetime, and her absence will no doubt tug at the heartstrings in 2023. Things may look different in the coming years, but King Charles and his entourage are fully expected to maintain the tradition.

Fashion, Fashion, and More Fashion

As you may have gathered, there’s far more to this event than the sight of the finest thoroughbreds straining every sinew in pursuit of glory. In addition to the distinctive Royal flavour, one of the most intriguing elements of this June Jamboree is the vast array of fashions on show. 

In terms of sartorial elegance, Royal Ascot undoubtedly sits atop the racing tree – and indeed can rival many fashion shows with the sheer variety and class of the outfits on display.

Think dazzling dresses, millenary masterpieces, dapper gents in three-piece suits, and valuable prizes for the best dressed. Need a little assistance in picking out your elegant ensemble? Check out the Royal Ascot Style Guide released in advance of the meeting.

An International Cast of Stars

Major racing events in the UK regularly attract runners from overseas. The Cheltenham Festival, for example, is renowned for the annual pilgrimage from Ireland, both in terms of horses and fans ready to drink the Guinness village dry!

Royal Ascot, however, takes things to another level, with the prize money and prestige on offer attracting the best racing talent from around the globe. Previous years have witnessed contenders from the USA, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, France, Germany and more lock horns with the British and Irish runners on the hallowed turf.

The Track Where Legends Are Made

And then we have the standard of the action, which is quite simply second to none. Ascot is the track at which the greats of the game forge their names indelibly into the annals of racing legend. 

The illustrious list of names to have scorched the track on their way to glory is too comprehensive to list here, but includes the likes of Australian wonder mare Black Caviar star stayer, Yeats, and, of course, the greatest of them all, the mighty, incomparable, Frankel!