Royal Ascot and its history
Royal Ascot is one of the most important Royal events of the year. The racecourse was found by Queen Anne. More about the history of this Royal Ascot Racecourse.
History
Her Majesty's Plate of 100 guineas will be run for round the new heat on Ascott Common, near Windsor, on Tuesday, August 7th next, by any horse, mare or gelding, being no more than six years old the grass before, as must be certified under the hand of the breeder, carrying 12 St., three heats, to be entered the last day of July, at Mr. Hancock's, at Fern Hill, near the Starting Post.
— Announcement of the first race meeting at Ascot, London Gazette (12 July 1711)
That first meeting was held on 11 August 1711, the original date (and a race scheduled for 6 August) having been postponed for reasons unspecified, although it has been speculated that the course simply wasn't ready.
The Queen and a "brilliant suite" drove from Windsor Castle to witness it, with the first race being a seven horse £50 plate, won by a horse called Doctor owned by the Duke of St Albans.
Queen Anne's gift to racing, founding the Royal Racecourse, is marked by the tradition of opening Royal Ascot with The Queen Anne Stakes run over the straight mile.
Royal Ascot evolved from the first four-day race meeting held at Ascot in 1768, although the meeting as it is known today only really s tarted to take shape with the introduction of The Gold Cup in 1807.
The first permanent building was not erected until 1793, and was built by a local Windsor builder, George Slingsby. Holding 1,650 people, it was used for almost fifty years. In 1813 an Act of Parliament
ensured that the Ascot Heath would be kept and used as a racecourse for the public in the future, securing racing at Ascot for future generations. A new grandstand was opened in 1839 at a cost of £10000.
In 1840 Queen Victoria (1819 - 1901) attended the Royal Ascot race meeting at Ascot Racecourse, Berkshire. Until 1939, Royal Ascot was the only race meeting held at the racecourse. The Gold Cup remains the feature race of the third day of Royal Ascot, traditionally the busiest day of the week, when high fashion and exquisite millinery take centre stage alongside flat racing's most elite stayers. During the racecourse's redevelopment in 2005, the Royal Meeting was held at York Racecourse.
Each of the five days of Royal Ascot begins with the Royal Procession at 2pm, when the Queen and other members of the royal family arrive down the straight mile in the Royal Landaus, accompanied by
the playing of the National Anthem and the raising of the Royal Standard. This tradition was started in 1825 by King George IV.
Up until 1901, the racecourse was managed by the Master of the Royal Buckhounds. Lord Churchill was appointed His Majesty's Representative in 1901, responsible for running the course and determining entrance to the Royal Enclosure. The Ascot Authority was established in 1913 by a further Act of Parliament, with His Majesty's Representative becoming Senior Trustee.
Today, as Ascot Authority (Holdings) Limited, Ascot has a formal board chaired by Sir Francis Brooke Bt. who also serves as Her Majesty's Representative (Senior Trustee) at Ascot.
👉 It was here that then Prince Edward announced in 1894 the birth of his granson the later King Edward VII.
World War II
Between 1940 and 1943 racing was not run at Ascot. The racecourse was commandeered by the army with the Grandstand providing accommodation for gunners of the Royal Artillery.
Racing resumed on 15 May 1943 with an eight-race card. The first post-war fixture was held on 21 May 1945, when the then 19-year-old Princess Elizabeth attended Ascot for the first time. The first National Hunt meeting was held at Ascot in 1965, the course having been established using turf from Hurst Park Racecourse, which closed in 1962.
In 2004, Ascot Racecourse was closed for a £220 million redevelopment, the single biggest investment in British Racing. The Racecourse was reopened by the Queen on 20 June 2006. The redevelopment was designed by HOK (firm), engineered by Buro Happold and built by Laing O'Rourke. The main part of the redevelopment programme was the construction of the 30m x 300m lightweight parasol roof structure of the grandstand, this was designed and built by Austrian specialist contractor Waagner-Biro.
At the end of 2006 a £10 million programme of further alterations was announced to improve the viewing from lower levels of the grandstand using an innovative steel composite product ("SPS" sandwich plate system) to reprofile the existing concrete terraces.
As an owner and breeder of racehorses, the Queen takes a keen interest in racing. The jockeys riding the Queen's horses can be identified by her racing colours: purple body with gold braid, scarlet sleeves, and a black velvet cap with gold fringe. The Queen has not missed the annual Royal Meeting since her Coronation in 1953, and traditionally presents The Gold Cup and The Diamond Jubilee Stakes each year.
In 2013, The Queen's filly, Estimate, triumphed in Ascot's showpiece race, The Gold Cup – the first time that The Gold Cup has been won by a reigning monarch.
source picture: book cover
Fashion & dresscode at Royal Ascot
when Beau Brummel, a close friend of the Prince Regent, decreed that men of elegance should wear waisted black coats and white cravats with pantaloons to the Royal Meeting.
the Queen Anne Enclosure is still formal, but more relaxed than that of the Royal Enclosure. Women must dress in a manner that befits a formal occasion and must wear a hat or fascinator at all times. Gentlemen are required to wear a full-length suit with a collared shirt, tie and socks covering the ankle.
food, al fresco dining, live music and unique views of the track and famous Ascot Grandstand.
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