Anyone who has even a passing interest in horse racing in the UK will have heard of the Royal Ascot races. This iconic event takes place annually at Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire. Featuring a card of exciting flat races, it remains one of the UK’s most popular horse racing events, revered by racehorse owners, jockeys and trainers, as well as horse racing fans.
Here, we’ll tell you more about Royal Ascot races, as well as a bit more about the racecourse and the Royal Ascot event. We’ll even give you a few tips about how to build a successful strategy for Royal Ascot betting, so read on!
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What is Royal Ascot?
Royal Ascot is an annual flat racing festival that takes place in June at the Ascot Racecourse. The race schedule is packed full of great entertainment and includes a true classic race in the form of the Gold Cup, which takes place on the Thursday of the festival. You can read more about the races that the festival boasts later in this article. The event is about much more than just the Royal Ascot races, however.
Ascot Racecourse history
Ascot Racecourse was founded in 1711 by Queen Anne. Legend states that she spotted that the area would make a great location to gallop horses when she was riding out from Windsor one day. The first race meeting at the course was staged on August 11, 1711. This is why Royal Ascot opens each year with a race known as The Queen Anne Stakes, run over a straight mile.
Races at Royal Ascot 2024
The schedule of races at Royal Ascot 2023 will include the iconic and beloved races that feature every year. The highlight of this UK horse racing event is, of course, the Gold Cup, staged on Thursday, but there is plenty more for racegoers to enjoy too. The event takes place over five days in June, running from June 20th to June 24th.
On Tuesday, June 20th, the schedule includes three great Group 1 contests in the shape of The Queen Anne Stakes, King’s Stand Stakes and St James’s Palace Stakes. On Wednesday, there is a Group 1 race scheduled, in the form of The Prince of Wales’s Stakes, There are also three Group 2 races for spectators to enjoy – The Queen Mary Stakes, The Queen’s Vase and The Duke of Cambridge Stakes.
Ladies’ Day at Ascot and the Gold Cup
Moving on to Thursday, June 2nd and the Royal Ascot races include the Norfolk Stakes and the Britannia Stakes, but the undoubted highlight is the Gold Cup, which is the marquee race for the whole festival. Thursday is also known as Ladies’ Day at Royal Ascot, and much of the focus is on the clothes, especially the hats, worn by the women who attend.
On Friday, June 16, racegoers can enjoy another thrilling schedule that includes races such as the Group 1 Coronation Stakes and Commonwealth Cup. In 2019, history was made for Royal Ascot races on the Friday, when Hayley Turner Thanks Be to victory in The Sandringham Stakes. She was the first female jockey to win at Ascot since 1987. On Saturday, the final day of the festival, racegoers can enjoy a Group 1 race, the Diamond Jubilee Stakes, as well as two Group 2 races – the Queen’s Vase and the Hardwicke Stakes.
Attending Royal Ascot
Attending Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse is a luxuriously enjoyable experience, but you must be prepared to dress up a bit! There is a style guide in place for all those who want to attend the event, and you can find this on the event’s official website. You must pay close attention to it if you want to be allowed in! Formal wear of one kind or another is a must, and many attendees pay more attention to the fashions on show.
There are also a number of exclusive dining venues and bars at the racecourse for racegoers to enjoy. Each day of the event begins at 10.30am with the gates being opened by the Greencoats who steward the racecourse. Of course, if you can’t attend the event itself, you can still bet on it at bet365 horse racing and other online bookmakers.
Strategies for Royal Ascot betting
If you’re looking to do some Royal Ascot betting at horse racing sites, then you need to put together a strategy that can bring success. Betting on Royal Ascot races is the same as betting on any other races – knowledge is the key to success.
The first thing to do is to pick out races from the schedule to focus on. Spreading yourself too thinly and trying to bet on too many races can lead to confusion and a misallocation of resources. If you are new to betting on horse racing, then it is a good idea to focus on the very biggest races.
After you have become familiar with the race schedule, learn as much as possible about the competing horses, jockeys and trainers. Check out their history at previous races at Ascot in particular. Any nuggets of information that you pick up will prove invaluable. Last, always keep calm and keep a close eye on your bankroll when betting on Royal Ascot races! If you follow these tips, you’ll give yourself a greater chance of placing successful wagers on Royal Ascot 2022.
Conclusion
Enjoying Royal Ascot races is something that remains immensely popular with horse racing fans in the UK and the wider world. Royal Ascot is a glamorous event that is about the social occasion as much as the horse racing. Royal Ascot 2022 promises to be a great event, with many racegoers looking to enjoy a great day out as social restrictions due to the pandemic have been lifted. Check out the markets available at bet365 horse racing and other sites!