Tuesday 16th June
to Saturday 20th June 2009
On the way to Royal Ascot, or on the way home, where can you get the best meals, a good night's sleep, and avoid the queues to and from Ascot Racecourse?
Right here! Along with lots of other information...
Our secret 'Jump the Queue' road map!
Save up to an hour of traffic
jams with our secret, 'Jump the Queue' route map to and from Ascot and the M4. Remember that on the Saturday
you will be joined by an extra large number of Legoland visitors
on exactly the same road through Windsor, so we REALLY recommend
that you take the route suggested here!
During Royal Ascot, information
about the racing as well as travel information is broadcast on
the radio within 10 miles of the racecourse. (Watch out for the
yellow AA signs for the frequency).
By taking our suggested route
you might avoid dramas such as pictured below when at about 8.00pm
on Tuesday 17th June, 2003, the first day, one of the stretched
limos returning home suffered a collapsed front suspension. The
car blocked the junction for a quite few minutes before being
driven on around the corner with much crunching and scraping
into Imperial Road. There it stayed for several hours while mechanics
rebuilt the front suspension.
Great dining
The Duke Of Edinburgh, Woodside |
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How to get tickets
Demand for Royal Ascot tickets is always extremely high and those wishing to attend are advised to book their place well in advance of the event. Booking usually opens in early January. For more information or to make a booking please call the Ascot Sales Office on 0870 727 1234 or visit www.royalascot.co.uk.
There is also the option for spectators to view the racing from Ascot Heath.
The Weather
When warm and sunny, you may want to take some light long sleeve clothing to reduce the chance of sunburn which can result within half an hour! A quality sunblock is also essential. If showers are forecast a folding 'PakaMac' will be very welcome.
2008
Tuesday, the first day, was sunny but with a good
deal of cloud too, and it was not particularly warm. Wednesday
was very windy though most of the rain passed to the north and
it was still not very warm. Thursday was dry with sunny intervals
and a little warmer. Friday was overcast but dry. Showers on
Saturday morning gave way to an overcast afternoon with the odd
light sprinkling, but that might have been the champagne popping
when the Queen won the Chesham Stakes with Free Agent. This was
the Queen's first winner since 1999. and didn't she look pleased
on the telly!!!
2007
June 07 will go down as the wettest for almost 100
years. Although not a total wash-out Ascot this year was mainly
showery with only the odd sunny spell. It was also chilly.
2006
The previous week had been hot but Ascot this year,
the first meeting following the redevelopment of the racecourse,
was cooler and partially cloudy with a gusty wind, especially
on Ladies Day.
2005
Royal Ascot was held at York.
2004
The weather was excellent for the first day of racing,
if slightly windy, with clear skies and hot sun. Wednesday proved
warm and breezy, and partly cloudy, to give some relief from
a hot sun. As the week progressed the the weather cooled appreciably
with temperatures on Ladies Day, Thursday, only average. By Friday,
the sky was overcast initially, but brightened up towards the
end of the day. Saturday was decidedly chilly with the odd light
shower and some sunny intervals.
2003
Royal Ascot 2003 was
reasonably warm but with few sunny intervals until the end of
the week. A lot of cloud always meant the chance of showers and
on the first day of racing, it rained briefly as HM The Queen
and her entourage processed up the racecourse. That did not however
stop the Queen waving and smiling broadly! It was increasingly
breezy during the week and on Ladies Day those large hats just
had to be tethered! Wednesday and Thursday remained rather cloudier
than expected, brightening up in the evening. Friday and Saturday
were warm and sunny with some high, light cloud.
2002
A dust devil swept through the crowds at Royal Ascot
on Ladies Day, Thursday, 20th June 2002, and the weather was
not generally very good.
The History
Ascot Racecourse was founded in 1711 and
is perhaps the most famous racecourse in the world. It was Queen
Anne who created the racecourse at Ascot - the name derives from
East Cote (East Side) - but racing had taken place near the castle
even before then with a course on Datchet Mead. The area at Ascot
was open heathland and seemed to Queen Anne an ideal place for
"horses to gallop at full stretch."
Queen
Anne's Ride, a tree lined avenue similar to the Long Walk,
stretches from close to Windsor Castle almost the entire way
to Ascot. The avenue was restored in the early 1990s when old
oaks that were out of position were removed and young trees planted
where necessary along the avenue.
The first race meeting was held at Ascot
on Saturday, August 11th, 1711 and the first race was Her Majesty's
Plate, worth 100 guineas. The race was open to any horse, mare
or gelding over six years old. Ascot Racecourse now
holds 25 racedays each year, both flat and National Hunt.
The first four-day Royal Meeting was held in June
1768 and has continued ever since. Until 2001 Royal Ascot ran
from the Tuesday to the Friday but there was also racing on the
Saturday although this is not known as 'Royal'. In 2002, however,
Royal Ascot extended to the Saturday too as part of the Queen's
Golden Jubilee celebrations and this extension continued in 2003.
Full details of racing at Ascot throughout the year
is available at www.ascot.co.uk.
Royal Ascot Week follows The Garter Service at St George's Chapel,
Windsor Castle on the Monday.
The Royal Procession
The Queen and her guests
leave Windsor Castle just after lunch in the royal cars and transfer
to the famous Ascot Landaus at Duke's Lane to arrive at Ascot
racecourse in quite the finest possible style at the start of
the day's racing!
It is possible for the public to watch the royal
party transfer to their carriages at Duke's Lane. Admission to
the area is by ticket only. The pictures below were taken on
one such occasion in 1985.
Photos by Thamesweb  |
Magnificent uniforms and immaculate horses - the hallmark of the Ascot Landaus as they prepare for the Royal Procession |
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Dukes Lane 1985 |
HM The Queen
and the |
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Other great Ascot race meetings
You can enjoy great horse racing on many other occasions during the year.
For more information about other race meetings visit www.ascot.co.uk
Photos by Action Plus
To contact us, email Thamesweb.