With its centuries-long tradition of top hats, fascinators and feathered headpieces, Royal Ascot is known for its well-dressed and well-heeled crowd. But as the event runs throughout this week, The Winners Enclosure conducted an AI study to find out if Ascot attendees really are the best-dressed in Britain.
To do so, they instructed an artificial intelligence model to analyse crowd images fans at 10 of the largest racecourses in the UK to identify the number of people in each picture considered best-dressed – and Ascot finished first, with 91.2 per cent of attendees being considered the best-dressed.
This week, an estimated 300,000 people will attend Britain’s most valuable meeting, so make sure to tune in to see some excellent racing attire.
Over the five-day event, £15 million in prize money will be up for grabs as those heading to Berkshire will be hoping that their winnings match their style.
Ascot has one of the most traditional and distinguished dress codes in world racing. The Royal Enclosure requires men to wear full morning dress in either navy, grey, or black. This ensemble should include smart black shoes, a morning coat, a waistcoat, a tie, and a grey or black top hat.
Women in attendance at the Royal Enclosure must also adhere to a strict dress code that includes a dress or skirt that falls just above the knee, shoulder straps that are a minimum of one inch in width, and a mandatory hat or headpiece.
Fortunately, these strict traditions have led to Royal Ascot attendees topping the rankings for the best-dressed crowds in racing.
Aintree’s second, with 80.48 per cent of racegoers being deemed ‘well-dressed’; this comes as no surprise with the Grand National being a staple on the British racing fashion calendar.
If you’re attending this racecourse, expect to see formal dresses, co-ords or jumpsuits as the crowd tries to outdo each other.
York came third with a 75.65 per cent score. This is another notorious racecourse for well-dressed racegoers, with gentlemen in The County Stand needing to wear a jacket, collared shirt, along with a tie.
In fourth was Chester, with 73.75 per cent of racegoers being complimented for their dress sense. Chester Racecourse prides itself on encouraging attendees to ‘ooze of classic sophistication’.
You will often find racegoers at their events wearing cocktail dresses, along with sleek power suits.
Rounding off the top five is Goodwood, where 73.33 per cent of attendees are deemed ‘well-dressed’. The dress code here depends on where you are sitting, as gentlemen in the Richmond Enclosure are required to wear a shirt and tie.
Sandown Park, Newmarket, Doncaster, Cheltenham, and Epsom Downs made up the rest of the top ten.
Alex Beecham, managing director of The Winners Enclosure, said: “Dressing up smart is all part of the fun when it comes to attending live racing. It’s great to see that this tradition keeps being carried on through the generations.
“Ascot being the ‘best-dressed’ racecourse goes to show that it isn’t losing its touch. Year after year, racegoers attempt to outdo one another; this year’s good weather has really allowed this to flourish.”
The top 10 racecourses for best-dressed attendees:
Ranking | Racecourse | Percentage Of Fans That Are ‘Best-Dressed’ |
1 | Ascot | 91.2 |
2 | Aintree | 80.48 |
3 | York | 75.65 |
4 | Chester | 73.75 |
5 | Goodwood | 73.33 |
6 | Sandown Park | 67.5 |
7 | Newmarket | 65.85 |
8 | Doncaster | 62.44 |
9 | Cheltenham | 61.3 |
10 | Epsom Downs | 59.43 |