Photo by christopher_brown, CC BY 2.0
The first major flat racing event of the calendar year is almost upon us. The historic 1000 and 2000 Guineas bring the home of racing to life at the Newmarket Racecourse. This Suffolk town has been the focal point of flat racing in the U.K. for more than three centuries, and the 1000 and 2000 Guineas are two of Britain’s five “classic” races, with another pair of classic races hosted at Epsom Downs. These Group 1 classics were first run in 1814 and 1809, respectively, and in the last 200 years, there have been some magnificent thoroughbreds to win these prestigious races. Arguably, the top flat racehorse of all time, Frankel, has unsurprisingly won the 2000 Guineas.
If it’s your first time at Newmarket and the Rowley Mile course for either the 1000 Guineas Day or the 2000 Guineas Day, you’ll want to know how to look the part for the biggest race meetings on the Newmarket calendar. Overall, racegoers to the Guineas like to make the weekend a special occasion and opt to dress accordingly. Let’s look at the official dress code of the Newmarket Racecourse ahead of the Guineas and the summer’s flat racing on the Adnams July Course.
The Premier Enclosure is the best experience for Newmarket Racecourse goers. Jeans are rarely seen here, with tailored suits the norm among most gentlemen. There is no formal restriction on wearing jeans, but most people prefer to wear smart trousers, shirts and formal shoes to complete their outfit. If you are insistent on wearing jeans on the day, make sure they are dark denim. Jeans are, however, restricted in all VIP hospitality areas along with trainers, cargo shorts, T-shirts, fancy dress and “unduly casual” sportswear. Although smart suits and top hats and tails have been commonplace at racecourses throughout Britain, this dapper trend has also extended to events such as poker tournaments and even at Premier League football stadia. Stoke City Football Club, for example, permits guests dining in the Chairman’s Suite to wear a suit, collar and tie at all times.
If you’re planning to visit the Guineas with your family, you might want a more relaxed dress code, which can be found in the Grandstand and Paddock and the Family Enclosures. Jeans, T-shirts and trainers are considered acceptable in these areas, although shirts bearing slogans and images that could be considered distasteful by the public will always be viewed dimly by the racecourse officials. No matter how sunny the weather gets, bare chests are forbidden always, much to the frustration of those with carefully cultivated six-pack bods.
The Newmarket Racecourse often proves a place for stag dos and birthday celebrations. Subsequently, fancy dress outfits tend to be the order of the day among this demographic. Fancy dress is accepted at the Guineas, but only in the Grandstand and Paddock and Family Enclosure areas. As with T-shirt slogans and imagery, the costumes must be tasteful and not designed to cause offense.
Remember that the venue reserves the right to deny entry to any visitors deemed to be wearing inappropriate clothing. If you have any doubt about what you’re planning on wearing, the racecourse welcomes inquiries via the customer relations department at 01638 675500. It’s not worth running the risk of missing out on the Guineas. If you’re denied entry, you’ll receive no refund, so it pays to adhere to the dress codes.
