The countdown is on until Royal Ascot 2024. The five-day race meeting takes place at Ascot in Berkshire in June, and it is the highlight of many people’s social calendar during the summer.
Here is a look at what makes the fixture so special in horse racing.
Best The Sport Has to Offer
Royal Ascot is one of the few meetings in the world that attracts the best horses, trainers, and owners. With lucrative prize money and prestigious races, many people involved in the sport dream of having a Royal Ascot winner in their career.
The Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes is one of the biggest races of the week at the Berkshire racecourse and there is a real international feel to it this year. Australian star Chain Of Lightning is the 7/1 favorite in the betting on horse racing.
KYPRIOS wins the 2022 Gold Cup at #RoyalAscot! 🏆
No 4️⃣th win for the great Stradivarius, but a 3️⃣rd for Ryan Moore, and a record extending 8️⃣th for Aidan O’Brien 🤯 pic.twitter.com/qKrd5n8ODi
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 16, 2022
Those looking to place a Royal Ascot Festival bet on the Ascot Gold Cup will notice that former champion Kyprios returns to the day three contest. Aidan O’Brien’s runner won the feature race in 2022 in impressive style and he is 13/8 to prevail this year. He is looking to join a small group of horses that have regained their crown in the marathon event.
This year’s meeting could also feature the new superstar in the sport, City Of Troy. He was unbeaten as a two-year-old, with his biggest success coming in the Group One Dewhurst Stakes. Many horse racing fans are looking forward to seeing him in action at Ascot.
Fashion
With one of the strictest dress codes in sport, Royal Ascot takes fashion very seriously. If you are attending the meeting in one of the hospitality experiences, you should expect to dress up. The racecourse publishes its Royal Meeting dress code on its official website each year, with recommendations on hats, dresses, and shoes.
If you feel confident enough to do so, you can enter one of the best-dressed competitions across the week. Prizes are given out across various categories, so you could end up walking away as a Royal Ascot winner yourself!
Hospitality
The hospitality at Royal Ascot is unrivaled in the sport of horse racing. You can enjoy fine dining in one of the racecourse’s world-class restaurants. This will also give you the best view of the track across the afternoon.
Ascot offers suites in its spectacular grandstand which opened in 2006. These give you a private space to enjoy the days with friends and family, with food and drink served to you.
Royal Connection
Royal winner at #RoyalAscot! Desert Hero wins the King George V for King Charles, Queen Camilla, @TomMarquand and William Haggas! @Ascot pic.twitter.com/TWQ7v2DILY
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 22, 2023
Before each of the day’s racing at Royal Ascot, there is a royal procession, with members of the racing family arriving at the racecourse in horse-drawn landaus. The late Queen Elizabeth II was a huge horse racing fan and a big supporter of this meeting. Her son, King Charles II, and other members of the family have carried on the tradition, and often have runners at the meeting themselves.
Tickets remain available for Royal Ascot 2024, and the race meeting takes place between 18-22 June.