RACING COLOURS!
Fans brighten up a rainy Ladies’ Day at Cheltenham
IT MAY have been wet and wild at Cheltenham yesterday, but these racegoers were determined to make a splash.
A riot of yellows, fuchsia pinks, purples and tartans were on display as they did their best to brighten the mood on the four- day festival’s traditional Ladies’ Day.
The dazzling outfits came despite the Jockey Club’s newly introduced relaxation of traditional dress codes in certain parts of the racecourse.
And they were complemented by the fake tans and French manicures of racegoers who were clearly determined to leave the country set’s usual furs and feathers in the shade.
But the heavens opened shortly before the arrival of the Queen Consort, an honorary member of the Jockey Club and a regular visitor to Cheltenham. It marked the second year in a row where Ladies’ Day was blighted by inclement weather.
The main race of the afternoon, the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase, was won by Energumene – owned by Brighton and Hove Albion FC owner Tony Bloom.
The multi-millionaire property developer, 52, is believed to have had two bets totalling £600,000 on the gelding, scooping an £830,000 profit when the 6/5 favourite won. He also picked up £225,000 in prizemoney.