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It’s perfectly acceptable to have an open necked shirt, so long as you have a cravat underneath. HTH.
Two years ago, I had a fierce row there.
I had my ticket for Tatts bought on the internet ( about £60).
The guy wouldn’t let me in without a tie, and I’d forgotten to carry one in my pocket for just such an eventuality.
Anyway, I weakened, as I’d come a long way and wanted to see the top-notch racing ( which, imo, is the only good thing about the place). So I bought a tie for £10.
As soon as I got inside those glass doors, I chucked it straight in the bin, in full view of the dude at the desk.
There were no further incidents, though I always resented the fact that I was £70 down before I even started betting.
When I say there were no further incidents, I haven’t included all the officious stop-go ushering that seems a regular nuiscance at meetings in southern England.
Contrast this with the pleasure of Leopardstown, where, for 18 euro, I freely enjoyed a far better venue with top-class, easily- viewed, good racing. In fact, nobody asked to see my ticket yet!
Ascot is for dummies, imo. There is no need for all that expensive nonsense.
You will need to wear a shirt but a tie, whilst usual, is not compulsory in the Premier Enclosure.
It is only compulsory when in the grandstand at the Royal meeting.
One of these should be all you need at Ascot:
http://www.tiewarehouse.co.uk/images/novelty/viagra-whothef-nvts24.jpg
Scuffed trainers, jeans, rugby shirt and barbour suffices at Lingfield though, much better option in my opinion.
No jeans, no trainers, no sports wear, yes collared shirt.
You don’t need a tie.
If you are worried, send them an email and take the reply with you.
Premier Admission
The top of the range option, this gives you access to all the best viewing areas and facilities on the course. These are located on Level 4 of the Grandstand and the viewing areas by the Winning Post, both of which are exclusive to Premier Admission badge holders. A Premier Admission badge also allows access to the Grandstand Admission area and to the steppings around the Parade Ring.
Premier Admission Dress Code
Both ladies and gentlemen are asked to dress in a manner appropriate to a smart occasion. Many gentlemen wear a shirt and tie with a jacket or suit. Please note that jeans, shorts, t-shirts and sports attire (including football and rugby shirts, sweatshirts and trainers) are not permitted.
From Ascot.co.uk
And here was me going to wear my Skol Cup winning year Hibs top
In the days when Mr. Erskine-Crum was in charge I arrived at Ascot on a very soggy and boggy wet day, in wellington boots and a weatherproof jacket.
Entry was barred to the ‘posh’ bit even though I had a badge. The reason was my unsuitable attire, mainly the wellies. To add to my indignation, they’d even put boarding down, in strips on the turf, to assist the walkers in their fancy shoes.
I wrote to Mr E-C and had a brilliant letter back which included some complimentary tickets (and parking) for everywhere apart from the Qeen’s ‘apartment’.
He told me to wear my wellies without fail and any problems to ask for him.
I parked our old Landrover amongst the Bentleys and Rollers and had a great day. A letter of thanks was dispatched the following day.Problems with apparel occur when the meeting is a special and VIP’s are in attendance. The dress code is then enforced more rigourously and it doesn’t matter how polite you are, rules are rules.
I have always believed this reliance on exterior presentation is very foolish and nor does it enhance the spectacle of racing. Penguins and parrots spring to mind.I was at Newbury a few years ago for their Oaks trial with my brother who had come over from Ireland.We wanted to go into the members enclosure -I was wearing a jacket and a shirt that cost about £80 at the time,the brother wearing smart casual.I was refused for not having a tie and the brother for wearing jeans.There were literally two men and a dog at the meeting.I liked Newbury but neither of us would go back.
A very good piece in the Post today, about how ridiculous it is of racecourses to enforce a dress code on racegoers.
This has long been one of my big bug bears, and a worry to every "non horseracing" friend that I have ever gone to the races with is what should they wear?
I’m sure it must put off a lot of new people, particularly the young and I am surprised that Racing for Change haven’t tried to address the issue.
I take the view that attendances are at record levels, despite dress codes. Most people I know like the chance to get dressed up and feel special. It makes the day more of an event.
As long as there are enclosures which have a more relaxed dress code – and of course they should have good facilties – then I’m in favour of not turning us into an homogenous crowd like at a football match. This is in the Summer – I think Winter racing should be more relaxed for comfort in colder weather.
I’ve been lucky enough to go racing for the past 40 years, from boyhood to an old sod. I have noticed a relaxation of the dress code over the years. At least now you can check the dress code on-line.
Personally, smart casual is my personal bag whichever enclosure I choose for a specific day. Anything more would makes me feel uncomfortable. Each to their owm. But never judge a book by it’s cover because over the years some of the more smartly attired have been a pain in the butt. For me, as with most ares of life, the common-sense approach should suffice.
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Especially given Dandino’s below-par effort, my abiding pleasurable memory of Doncaster on Leger day will be the superbly dressed local, Yorkshire crowd, besuited and/or bejewelled, everyone together.
It was a lovely reminder of how well the English can still do exuberant dressing up, when we want to.
The idea of removing dress codes is rather like suggesting taking the salt out of Marmite. What’s left would taste bland, boring – and possibly excremental.
Racecourses that enforce dress codes are pompous in the extreme in my honest opinion and its one of my biggest bugbears like the thread starter in racing. I wear a suit every day to work i want to relax at the weekend without a collar and tie and want to dress down for goodness sake………..if you wear jeans does it turn you into somebody who has lost all sense of common sense……… of course not!!!
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