YOUR GUIDE ROYAL ASCOT

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Diane Underwood
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1 YOUR GUIDE TO ROYAL ASCOT

2 Everything you need to know about your visit to Royal Ascot, and some stuff you don t need to know, but we think is interesting! The team at Pillow Adventure Travel would like to thank you for showing interest in our day trips to Royal Ascot. We hope to cover everything you need to know in this guide and answer any questions you may have. For more than 300 years, Royal Ascot has been an integral part of the British social calendar. Not only famous for the prestigious horse racing, Royal Ascot is immersed with tradition and pageantry, as the event is attended by thousands of race-goers all dressed to impress. If you don t have time to read the full guide, here are a few good reasons to visit Royal Ascot with Pillow: We make your day at Royal Ascot easy and stress free! Return transfers from London to Ascot in an executive coach are included in the price there is no need to wait around in long queues for public transport, just show up at the designated time and you ll be on your way! Our Ground Crew will meet you at Ascot with loads of cold bubbly when you arrive so you can enjoy the great pre-race picnic vibe with friends and fellow passengers. Our Ground Crew will also serve you a large picnic buffet with a variety of lunch options including vegetarian and gluten free; and... unlimited red or white wine during lunch (YES, WE REALLY MEAN UNLIMITED) Watch The Queen and other members of the Royal Family make their way to Royal Ascot in the Royal Procession. Enjoy the exciting racing atmosphere from the Silver Ring Enclosure as you watch the powerful horses thunder down the straight or, if you prefer, you have the choice to upgrade to The Grandstand enclosure. Our fun and friendly tour leaders will be around all day to answer any questions you may have about your day at Royal Ascot and the racing. 2

A quick history of Royal Ascot Your Guide to Royal Ascot Ascot Racecourse was founded in 1711 by Queen Anne, after she was riding her horse near the grounds of Windsor Castle and decided that it

Later that year, the first ever race meeting was held at Ascot; the inaugural event was Her Majesty s Plate, where seven horses competed for the prize worth 100 guineas.

3 A quick history of Royal Ascot Your Guide to Royal Ascot Ascot Racecourse was founded in 1711 by Queen Anne, after she was riding her horse near the grounds of Windsor Castle and decided that it would be the perfect place that looked, in her words, ideal for horses to gallop at full stretch. Later that year, the first ever race meeting was held at Ascot; the inaugural event was Her Majesty s Plate, where seven horses competed for the prize worth 100 guineas. Over the years, the Royal Meeting evolved, and Ascot saw its first four-day meeting in 1768, a first permanent building in 1794, and a new grandstand that was built in The Royal Ascot that we know and love today only really started to take shape with the introduction of the Gold Cup in The Gold Cup remains the feature race of the third day. In 2004, the racecourse closed for refurbishment, and in 2006, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II reopened the racecourse, unveiling the large grandstand we see today. Today, Royal Ascot is renowned around the world for some of the highest quality horse racing, and the most important flat race events in England. Over 300,000 people visit Ascot over the five days of racing, making this Europe s best-attended race meeting. Royal Ascot is definitely one of the major events on the British social calendar alongside other famous events such as Wimbledon tennis and watching test cricket at Lords. High stakes and dazzling fashion make visiting Royal Ascot a great day out. But why is it Royal? Royal Ascot begins each day with the Queen s procession beautiful horse drawn carriages carrying the Queen and members of her Royal Family, that make their way from Windsor Castle across to Ascot Racecourse, up the Mile Straight into the Royal Enclosure. Her Majesty The Queen takes a keen interest in the races, as she owns and breeds her own racehorses, and has actually had great success with her own horses over the years. Her own horse Estimate won the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in The jockeys that ride her racehorses always wear the same colour silks purple jacket with scarlet sleeves and gold braiding, with black cap. During Royal Ascot, The Queen traditionally presents the Gold Cup and The Diamond Jubilee Stakes (both grade 1 races held on Thursday and Saturday respectively). New versions of these trophies are made each year and are presented to the winners to keep. 3

What s important about the days we visit Royal Ascot? Royal Ascot is a 5 day event running from Tuesday through to Saturday. There are 30 flat horse races at Royal Ascot, 6 races each day.

Thursday - Gold Cup Day: Thursday s highlight and feature race is the Group 1 Gold Cup, a battle of stamina and determination over two miles and four furlongs.

Although the whole week at Royal Ascot is a fashion show like no other, it is Thursday, unofficially known as ladies day when the most Although The Gold Cup is an extremely important race, the racing

4 What s important about the days we visit Royal Ascot? Royal Ascot is a 5 day event running from Tuesday through to Saturday. There are 30 flat horse races at Royal Ascot, 6 races each day. We visit Royal Ascot on two days which are: Ladies Day officially known as Gold Cup Day, always held on Thursday; and The Grand Finale Day on Saturday. Thursday - Gold Cup Day: Thursday s highlight and feature race is the Group 1 Gold Cup, a battle of stamina and determination over two miles and four furlongs. This gruelling long distance world championship is not for the faint hearted. Although the whole week at Royal Ascot is a fashion show like no other, it is Thursday, unofficially known as ladies day when the most Although The Gold Cup is an extremely important race, the racing on Thursday is often overshadowed in the news by who wore what on Gold Cup Day. impressive hats and headpieces and designer creations are worn. Saturday - The Grand Finale: The feature race today is The Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes. This race is one part of a six leg series called the Global Sprint Challenge; it is also Britain s joint most valuable sprint race, alongside the Darley July Cup at Newmarket. The fashions on Saturday aren t as elaborate as they are during the rest of the Royal Meeting, there is a relaxed family feel, as many people who are unable attend during the week come along to enjoy the experience of the greatest race meeting in the world. What are the different enclosures? There are three enclosures at Royal Ascot, and Pillow Adventure Travel can get you tickets to two of them! The Royal Enclosure: This enclosure is the most prestigious of the three, and was first established in 1822 when King George IV commissioned a two-storey stand to be built for a better view of the races. Access was only by invitation of the King where he entertained his friends in style. Today, the stand has been upgraded and it remains an exclusive membership area - you need a formal invitation from an existing Royal Enclosure member. Because of this rule, we are unfortunately unable to get you tickets for this enclosure. 4

5 The Grandstand: The Grandstand is the leading public enclosure as it offers a sophisticated, yet relaxed experience of Royal Ascot. From the Grandstand Lawns you will be able to watch Her Majesty The Queen arrive in her Royal Procession, and the thrilling racing will begin shortly after. The Parade Ring is centrally located, meaning you will be able to see the magnificent horses being paraded before watching them charge down the home straight. There are many spectacular bars and restaurants to enjoy throughout the day, from sun-soaked champagne bars to afternoon teas in the historic Queen Anne Tea Rooms. There are dress codes to enter The Grandstand, we will cover this a little later on in the document. The Silver Ring: The Silver Ring provides as excellent vantage point to watch the Royal Procession, and you will be one of the first racegoers to see The Queen as she makes her way down the track. You will have rail-side views and also be the first to hear the world s best racehorses thunder past. The Silver Ring enclosure also boasts delicious food and drink outlets, providing you with the opportunity to experience spectacular cuisine without the formalities of other enclosures. Although there are no formal dress codes in the Silver Ring, guests are encouraged to wear smart clothes. You re welcome to bring your own picnic and bubbly into the Silver Ring, we will include more details below. = Location of Royal, Grandstand & Silver Ring Enclosures. = Location of Coach Park and Entrance to Royal Ascot (only couple minutes walk!) 5

The Itinerary Please note: The Itinerary is the same for both days: Thursday and Saturday. We will meet you at Temple Tube Station at 9am for check in, and then you will be able to board our coach.

The journey to Ascot should take around 2 hours, depending on traffic, and once you arrive at Ascot s Coach Park 10 you will be greeted by our ground crew with a glass of cold bubbly.

At 12 noon you can enjoy our pre-race picnic which includes foods such as: sandwiches, wraps, salads, fruit, cold meats, dips, and much more.

6 The Itinerary Please note: The Itinerary is the same for both days: Thursday and Saturday. We will meet you at Temple Tube Station at 9am for check in, and then you will be able to board our coach. We will be leaving at 9.15am at the very latest so make sure you are on time! The journey to Ascot should take around 2 hours, depending on traffic, and once you arrive at Ascot s Coach Park 10 you will be greeted by our ground crew with a glass of cold bubbly. You then have free time to relax in the coach park and chat with friends or fellow passengers. At 12 noon you can enjoy our pre-race picnic which includes foods such as: sandwiches, wraps, salads, fruit, cold meats, dips, and much more. During the picnic we will also be serving you unlimited red or white wine! After lunch you are free to enter Royal Ascot, which is only a short walk away, and you can watch the Royal Procession (and see The Queen!) at 2pm, then the races which start at 2.30pm. The final race of the day is at 5.30pm, and once that has finished, you can wander back to Coach Park 10 and we leave Ascot at 6.30 for the journey back to London. Depending on traffic, we expect to be back at Temple Tube Station around 9pm where the tour terminates but please feel free to join our crew for drinks at a central London bar! You don t live in London? If you don t live near London and would prefer to make your own way and meet us at Royal Ascot, then that is fine with us! We will give you directions to meet us at the Coach Park at 11am, where you can pick up your tickets for Royal Ascot. You are also welcome to enjoy the bubbly, pre-race picnic and unlimited red or white wine along with all of our other race goers until it is time to head into the race course. Please contact@pillow.co.uk or call to find out how to book the meet at Ascot option at a discounted price. For those of you that live in the South Gloucestershire area, we have a coach on Thursday for Ladies Day at Royal Ascot. The coach will meet early Thursday morning for pickups at Cirencester, Tetbury and Malmesbury. You will be taken to Royal Ascot for the champagne on arrival, pre-race picnic lunch and unlimited wine, your day at the races; and then we will take you home in the evening. For more information, please see our website or call

7 What is included in the cost? Your Guide to Royal Ascot What we include - Return transport from Central London to Ascot in a chartered Executive Coach - Bubbly on arrival at Ascot Racecourse Coach Park - Pre Race Lunch Picnic with a large selection of food (vegetarian and gluten free) and your choice of unlimited red or white wine! - Entry ticket to Silver Ring Enclosure at Royal Ascot (Upgrade to Grandstand tickets if you prefer?) - Services of an experienced Pillow Tour Leader for the whole day. What we can t include - All food and drinks not listed above - Money for your bets - Any souvenirs you wish to buy PILLOW TOP TIP: We strongly recommend you bring cash along with you to Royal Ascot as queues at cash machines can be very long! What if I want to upgrade to a Grandstand Ticket? We recommend if you are really into your horseracing, you should choose to spend your day at The Grandstand you will have an enhanced experience of Royal Ascot; with access to view the horses at the Parade Ring to enjoy the pre-race build up, then you can watch the magnificent horses charge down the home straight from elevated vantage points. The grandstand is a more sophisticated atmosphere than the Silver Ring Enclosure and there are specific dress codes you will need to follow if you are spending your day here. You will not be able to bring your own picnic or alcohol into The Grandstand, but there are plenty of delicious restaurants and food stalls, as well as many bars to choose from. If you would like to upgrade your ticket from Silver Ring to Grandstand, then we are more than happy to do that for you! Simply just chose the Grandstand option on our online booking form, on the day you would like to attend Ascot. Please be aware that Grandstand tickets cannot be downgraded. Once you re in the Grandstand, you cannot enter the Silver Ring Enclosure. 7

8 So what are these dress codes about? Royal Ascot s Official Dress Code as per the official Royal Ascot website - is as follows: GRANDSTAND ADMISSION: Ladies Ladies within the main Grandstand Enclosure are encouraged to dress in a manner as befits a formal occasion. Ladies are kindly asked to take particular note of the following: - A hat, headpiece or fascinator should be worn at all times. - Strapless or sheer strap dresses and tops are not permitted - Trousers must be full length and worn with a top that adheres to the guidelines above (i.e. strapless or sheer strap tops are not permitted) - Jackets and pashminas may be worn but dresses and tops underneath should till comply with the Grandstand Admission dress code. - Midriffs must be covered. - Shorts are not permitted. Gentlemen Gentlemen are required to wear a suit with a shirt and tie. SILVER RING ENCLOSURE Although no formal dress code applies in the Silver Rung Enclosure, racegoers are encouraged to wear smart clothes. Please note that shorts, t-shirts, football shirts and bare chests are not permitted at any time. In addition to the dress code advice, please note that fancy dress, novelty and branded or promotional clothing is not allowed within the racecourse during Royal Ascot. There may be instances where a degree of discretion is required in determining compliance with the Royal Ascot dress code. 8

Can I bring a Picnic? Regardless of whether you have bought Silver Ring, or Grandstand tickets, you CAN bring a picnic, including rugs, chairs, food and drink to enjoy in the Coach Park.

9 Can I bring a Picnic? Regardless of whether you have bought Silver Ring, or Grandstand tickets, you CAN bring a picnic, including rugs, chairs, food and drink to enjoy in the Coach Park. We will be serving a large buffet lunch, along with unlimited wine; but if there is something in particular that you were wanting, then you are more than welcome to bring it along. Any picnic rugs or cool boxes that you don t want to take into the races with you can be left on the coach. During Royal Ascot you can take picnics, alcohol, picnic blankets and folding chairs into the SILVER RING ONLY. SILVER RING PICNIC POLICY Picnics are allowed in the Silver Ring, however they must be brought to the racecourse in a picnic hamper or cool bag/box. Picnics must be brought in at the time of entry, and not on re-entry. Sharp bladed kitchen knives will not be permitted. ALCOHOL Is only allowed in the Silver Ring only. To embrace the celebratory nature of Royal Ascot, each customer (over the age of 18) is permitted to bring with them 1 bottle of sparkling wine or champagne to accompany their picnic. No other type of alcoholic drink will be permitted into the racecourse grounds and all picnics will be searched on entry. Please note that soft drinks will be permitted into the enclosure with seals intact. If you are coming with a large group and your picnic and sparkling wine is divided among your hampers, please all arrive together for searching or split the alcohol evenly across the party. Otherwise individuals arriving with more alcohol than food will have to dispose of the excess alcohol. There are substantial numbers of bars available inside the Silver Ring Enclosure for you to purchase alcohol. For clarity, bottles of beer, cider, spirits, fortified wines and bottles of Pimms, or similar will not be allowed onto the racecourse. No food, drinks or snacks, alcoholic or soft drinks are permitted to be brought into the Grandstand Enclosure. 9

10 Understanding betting Below is a list of words used in betting that you may not be familiar with: BOOKMAKER or bookie a person or organisation that takes bets at agreed upon odds. EACH WAY a bet consisting of two wagers it is twice the cost, as you are placing one bet on the horse to win and another bet on the horse to be placed (Come in second, third or fourth depending on how many there are in the race) so 1 each way bet will cost you 2. It is estimated that 400 million bets were placed at Royal Ascot in FAVOURITE The horse considered most likely to win, and therefore having the shortest or lowest odds FORECAST - a bet that involves correctly predicting the first and second past the post in a race. This bet can be reversed this is referred to as a Reverse Forecast or Reverse Exacta with the tote. FORM the past performances of a horse, used to give an indication of its current chances. HANDICAP A method of placing weights under jockeys saddles to even up the chances for every horse in the field and make the race as competitive as possible. ODDS the potential winnings offered by a bookmaker, based on their view of the horse s chance of winning. ODDS-ON when a horse is strongly fancied, the odds are less than evens. For example, a horse may be quoted at 2-to1 on or ½. This means that for every 2 you put on the horse, you will get 1 back plus your stake. STARTING PRICE OR SP unless you state otherwise, all bets with betting shop bookmakers are settled at the Starting Price. Bets placed in the ring will be settled at the fixed odds that are displayed at the time the bet is struck. The SP is the average price in the betting ring as the race starts The tote will declare a return at which all bets are settled, similar to the SP. STAKE the amount of money you place on a bet. 10

Decide whether you want to bet To Win (horse must finish first) or Each Way (be placed 2 nd, 3 rd and sometimes 4 th ) 3.

11 How to place a bet If you are new to racing and betting, then you can follow these easy steps to enjoy a flutter at the races! 1. Look through the Racecard, the Racing Post or any national paper to select which horse you fancy. 2. Decide whether you want to bet To Win (horse must finish first) or Each Way (be placed 2 nd, 3 rd and sometimes 4 th ) 3. Choose from the three different ways to place a bet at Ascot: The Tote, Betting Shops and the Betting Ring. Where to place your bet TOTEPOOL Totepool kiosks are situated throughout the racecourse with decimal odds displayed on screen. - Totepool operate on a pool betting principal meaning your odds could be different than at other bookmakers. You only get confirmation of the odds and winnings after the race has finished. - The Tote is good to place small bets. - A range of Totepool bets are available on each race with multi-race bets also on offer. - Win (1 st past the post), Each Way, Exacta (1 st and 2 nd ) and Trifecta (1 st, 2 nd and 3 rd ) are available on every race How to bet: Place a bet with Totepool by stating the number of the horse you wish to bet on and the amount you would like to bet. The minimum bet is 2 Win or 2 Each Way. 2 Each Way on horse number 3, please BETTING RING There are several rows of individual bookmakers in front of the Grandstand, all clearly displaying the odds available on all horses in each race. - Generally the odds are better and since there are a lot of bookies in the one place you can shop around to get the best odds - Each bookmaker displays their minimum stake and whether they are taking Win only or Win and Each Way bets. Traditional bookmakers display their odds as fractions. How to bet: To place a bet, tell the bookmaker your stake on your chosen horse, and whether you want a Win or Each Way bet. 10 Win on horse number 4, please At this point you keep the odds they have offered when placing your bet. These odds can change before the race starts, but it won t affect your winnings. 11

12 BETTING SHOPS - (fixed odds) Winning Post will be operating a betting shop on the Concourse within the Grandstand. Betfred operate a betting shop facility on Level 4 Grandstand. - Like ring bookmakers, odds are displayed as fractions - Several types of bets are available, including combinations such as Doubles and Trebles, and the minimum stakes vary. How to bet: To place a bet you use a betting slip and write the time of the race, the horse and your bet type and the amount you would like to put on. You have a choice to keep the odds they offer, or wait until the start of the race and you will get the closing odds, or what they call the Starting Price. To claim winnings after the race, simply take your receipt back to the bookmaker you put the bet on with to collect your money. Whether you decide to join us on Thursday or Saturday, you a guaranteed a fantastic, quintessentially English day out to watch the country s most prestigious horse racing. So that s it! We hope this document has helped answer any questions you may have had about visiting Royal Ascot with us. If you have any further questions you can contact@pillow.co.uk call the office on , or book directly using our website. We look forward to seeing you there! The Team At Pillow 12

Tuesday 14 th - Saturday 18 th June 2016 ROYAL ASCOT VILLAGE

Tuesday 14 th - Saturday 18 th June 2016 ROYAL ASCOT VILLAGE WELCOME TO ROYAL ASCOT Over the course of more than 300 years, since its founding by Queen Anne in 1711, Ascot has become one of the world s