A day at the races....

My preparation for Royal Ascot started at John Lewis, choosing my hat. For the ladies, Ascot is all about “teeth and tits” they say, that means you need to have a lovely smile and a generous cleavage. No one is going to judge you on those areas, but definitely something you cannot go without is a hat or a fascinator, and that is a must! You have the chance to see fantastic hats and dresses on the day. So I started choosing my fascinator and from there I worked out my outfit.

Royal Ascot is about having a good time, socialising and betting. In my experience going to Ascot is the equivalent of a long Sunday lunch in an Italian country house in Italy, where you just take your time over lunch, you talk and eat and enjoy the company of family and friends. At Ascot you can enjoy all sorts of drinks, but mainly I have seen champagne and Pimm’s.

The first bet is on the Queen’s outfit. Each day she arrives at Ascot in her carriage and her subjects bet on which colour her dress is going to be on each day. There is nothing to win of course; the reward is seeing her up-close when she arrives in her carriage. Then there are the horses, the protagonists of the event. It is such a fantastic and energising experience seeing horses running so fast and their jockeys dressed in colourful clothes. And besides seeing the fast race, you hear it; anything between nine and twenty-five horses approach very quickly from a distance, and then run away towards their goal. I placed the first bet of my life and I won! I felt high and happy and suddenly I wanted to bet again on the following race.

This year the current monarch’s horse won a race for the first time in decades. The queen was reported on TV as trying to control herself during the race, but when the horse won she could not contain herself any more and was reported expressing boundless joy for the victory of her horse.

What I really found interesting is that before entering the various enclosures at Ascot, everybody who comes by car or coach has a picnic in the car park. Everyone comes very organised with picnic tables, chairs and tents; and luscious food and plenty of drinks to get you in the mood. I have heard some parties come armed with butlers and serving waiters. It is a very democratic moment where each person is free to enjoy themselves while respecting other parties around them. Then everyone walks to their area according to the ticket they have; the Silver Ring, the Grand Stand or the Royal Enclosure (by invitation only). A day at the races can be very enjoyable and what makes the difference is good company and a bit of sunshine.

By Ivette Laviola

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