Chances are if you are on this site reading this article then you are already a fan of horse racing and all that this glorious sport brings. As well as the thrill of the event itself, there is the unparalleled grace of the horses and their riders that has bewitched watchers for centuries. For others it’s the pull of studying the form, beating the bookie, and all the other elements of horse racing betting that attracts interest from around the globe.
Yet if you were to ask the average person on the street what they associated with the self-styled Sport of Kings, depending on where that person was from, there would be some predictable answers. And in the UK, formal dress would be high on the list.
And yet in an admirable approach to inclusivity and breaking down further taboos and stigmas about the sport, the English Jockey Club have made a key announcement regarding dress codes at all Jockey Club venues across the country. And for those who don’t know, that includes some of the most iconic venues in the sport. As well as Cheltenham, scene of the Gold Cup Festival which takes place each March, there’s Aintree, home of the Grand National, as well as other legendary venues including Newmarket, Epsom and Sandown.
There are a couple of notable exceptions. One of the most iconic venues for both racing and style, Royal Ascot, is not covered by the Jockey Club and racegoers will therefore continue to be required to adhere to the traditional dress code insisted upon by the venue. Indeed, that fact may well come as a relief to many who enjoy the pomp and ceremony of an event that was most beloved of the late Queen. And another event that will continue to insist upon traditional morning dress, meaning top hats for men, among other accoutrements, is Derby Day at Epsom. Or more precisely, if you happen to be inhabiting the Queen Elizabeth II stand at Epsom.
However, this move by the Jockey Club to do away with venue dress codes is a self-professed attempt to break down some of the barriers that may still exist in terms of attracting new fans to the sport. And this may be particularly true in the United Kingdom where rules around clothing have long been in place for events up and down the country, not only the most prestigious.
Chief Executive of the Jockey Club, Nevin Truesdale has admitted that “It’s really important to us to be accessible and inclusive. We hope that by no longer placing an expectation upon people of what they should and shouldn’t wear we can help highlight that racing really is for everyone.”
Of course the move will attract its critics, but Truesdale is adamant that “enforcing a dress code seems rather outdated in the 21st Century”. However, those who do enjoy a rather more formal sartorial style on race day will be glad to heart that dressing up is still more than allowed if that’s what you would like to do.
There are still a couple of notable exceptions to the open rule on dress. Sports replica jerseys of any kind will not be allowed at any Jockey Club venue, nor will any clothing featuring offensive slogans or language. But other than that, anything is game, even sneakers, which were in some ways to thank for this change in tack by this prestigious UK-based club. Two racegoers were refused entry to a VIP stand at Sandown last year for wearing casual footwear. And now, much like a pair of jeans, a T-shirt, or indeed something more suitable for the notoriously incremental British weather, sneakers will soon become ubiquitous at Jockey Club events for the first time. Racing is changing.
Photo: JTW Equine Images
