You’ve never been to anything like the Royal Ascot. High fashion and horse racing join together just south of Windsor Castle. And fittingly, this is one of the best and most predictable places to see the Britain’s Royal Family at leisure. Check the dress codes, pack your hats, and weave this event into your London holiday.
What is the Royal Ascot?
It’s a horse race. And a major event in the British social calendar since it started in 1911. Races run at Ascot throughout the year, but Royal Ascot brings in…well, the Royals. Top hats and haute couture abound.
Queen Elizabeth II has anchored this race for decades, attending every day of the five day race. She is an avid horsewoman and race enthusiast. Horses from her own private stables regularly run for the top honors. And her delight in her throughbreds, and the sport, in turn delights the British. Whether you know anything about racing or not, it is certainly an experience of a lifetime.
Getting Tickets
Tickets for all five days of racing are available online with Ascot Racecourse. They do mail tickets overseas and it’s obviously best to buy well ahead of time, not only to get your tickets in time, but also for the best deals. Price to get in start at well under $50 a person.
Which day(s) to go? Tuesday, the start, is arguably the best day. For fans of the sport, there are the most competitive races on the first day. Here for the scene? The first day also has the most complete collection of the well-known and immediate members of the Royal Family. Wednesday is less prestigious, and also less costly. You have a better shot at getting into the beautiful areas at a deal.
Thursday is ladies’ day and the fashion is full-on along with the prestigious (and long) Gold Cup race. Friday and Saturday see a pick up in the weekend crowd and prices. Saturday has the longest race in Britain to close down the festivities.
There are several enclosures of tickets to choose from. Unless you’ve got a special invite, forget the Royal Enclosure. If you’re looking for a party/concert vibe that happens to be next to a racetrack, go for the Village. The Windsor has a more picnic feel. The Queen Anne Enclosure is my recommendation for a full Ascot experience.
Getting to Ascot Racetrack
There are many convenient ways to get to Ascot, but none are easy unless you stay right in this small town and walk. Parking is limited and even if you’ve rented a car for your vacation, I would leave it and find a different way.
If you’re in the London area, you can take the South Western Railway to Ascot from both London Waterloo. It’s a little less than an hour-long trip BUT, expect heavy crowds both for the races and workday commutes. Go as early as you can and be ready to make some room. It’s less than a 10-minute walk from the station to the track.
Or you can stay in Windsor, as we did, just a 15-minute drive (normally) from Ascot. The South Western also runs from multiple stations in London to Windsor. The station deposits you a short walk from the iconic castle and many places to stay in the historic centre. If you catch a ride by 10.30a with Uber or another rideshare, you’ll have a pretty smooth drive to the course, particularly with a savvy drive. Wait until 11 or later and the minutes sitting in traffic will start to pile up.
How to see the Royal Family
One of the most exciting aspects of the Royal Ascot is the presence of Britain’s Royal Family, especially the daily presence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Every day, HRH and honored family members and guests join her open carriage procession. It starts at 2 on the dot, and the carriages roll down the long track, through a tunnel and into the paddock behind the grandstands.
Tuesday is the best day to see all of the familiar faces, but Queen Elizabeth II has attended every day for decades. You’re good any day. My favorite way to see her was going to the paddock early and finding a place to stand. We had the high ground that gave us a great view over fancy hats and were not disappointed!
The other way, which has it’s own advantages, is to stand near the rail and see the carraiges at they roll by. Pro-tip, if you’re in the Queen Anne Enclosure, stand back from the rail. The apron is actually below the rail, and you can only see the tops of their heads from there.
Quick Guide to the Racing
Ascot is one of my favorite track experiences. The best tracks give you green space and places to go sit and chat and eat between the action of the races themselves. Ascot not only has all of these but has the classiest set up I’ve ever seen. Everything is clean, beautified, tasteful, and has space to breathe. There are only 6 races a day, far less than big races in the States that have at least twice that many. But there’s time between each to kick back, find food, place a bet, enjoy your time.
As with our driving differences, the horses in Britain are running in the opposite direction of those in the states. The majority of ticket holders don’t actually have a trackside seat. Instead, the crowd pours to the track as a race nears and finds a place to stand in rising steps or on the green apron next to the track itself. Then everyone filters back to the picnic areas and restaurants around the course.
Betting has a few differences too. In the US, if you place a bet on a horse, your odds will continue to change until betting for the race closes (when they get in the gates.) In Britain, your odds will lock at the time you made the bet. For example, if you place a bet on Not a Cow at 10-1 in the US (you win 10 dollars for every one you bet), but Not a Cow’s odds fall to 2-1 by the time the race starts, you get 2 dollars. In Britain, you would get 10.
The other major difference in betting in Britain is that there are more options. In the US, there are many windows to place a bet, but they are all running from the same company and with the same odds. In Britain, there are dozens of bookies with little, official stands and their own oddmakers. So you can shop for the best odds on your horse.
Must Do Experiences at Royal Ascot
There are some that are uniquely Royal Ascot and, for those from the US, uniquely British racing that you shouldn’t miss out on. Make sure to make time for these!
- The Royal Procession– as described earlier, this is a special experience here at Royal Ascot. I wouldn’t even consider myself a fan of the Royal Family, not particularly drawn by tabloid headlines and documentaries. But even I got sucked into the moment and the enthusiasm all around me.
- Pimms– We had a weird interaction on our first day with the bartenders. We asked them what Pimms is, what type of liqour, and there was wide-eyed confusion. The answer? “Pimms.” Grab a refreshing pitcher of the very British Pimms and soak in summer.
- Tea time– even the concession style food at Ascot is so much better than tracks in the US. Far above cafeteria fare, all of the options were tasty and ample. The fish and chips stand, tucked in the corner on the other side of the bandstand, was great for a rainy day chill. And the second floor IS open to the public has several good food and bar choices along with covered seating.
- Place a bet, even if it’s on a hat– If you want to take a spin on picking a horse, go for it. There are windows everywhere and they are all more than patient with betting newbies. Strolling through the stalls can be overwhelming if you’re not sure of how to place a bet but is worth the people watching. For any bets, know your horse’s number, the race number, whether you want to pick the horse to win, place (2nd) or show (3rd), and how much you want on the bet. OR, you can join the daily betters that try to pick the color of the Queen’s hat before she arrives.
- The Great Sing-Along– I love the British. After each race day, they all gather around the bandstand, where a classic ensemble leads them through the songs. The Beatles’ hits shift to dirges that jump to a raucous Sweet Caroline that moves to “Rule, Britannia.” Flags are waving and hundreds of people, including those leaning over the balconies of the higher stories, are belting out all of the tunes. Hubs and I still smile and talk about those moments.
After Ascot
As with any major horse racing event, I wouldn’t recommend trying to grab a train or get in your car right away. It’s madness. Instead, find a pub near the course, snag a seat if possible, and have a few drinks. Don’t put it off for too long. Head straight over right after a sing-along or during it. The pubs near the track eventually fill to capacity, especially on Thursday. You don’t want to be the people caught trying to sneak over the barricades to get in. The best possible outcomes: you rest your feet, talk to a bunch of Irish jockeys, and then soak in the 70s boogie vibe. Getting an uber or catching the train becomes quite easy after an hour or so.
May the road rise to meet you, travellers, and may you pick the right hat color.
Interested in the bucket list horse races state-side? Follow this series on everything you need to know about the Kentucky Derby.
At this point in pandemic, I want to go ANYWHERE! Even to watch grandkids school events! 😉