Off to the Races

On Saturday I went to the British Champions Day horse races in Ascot, a royal affair which culminates in the Queen presenting a trophy to the winner of the race, named in her honour.

The Ladies at Ascot

I actually couldn't tell you who won the horse race, all I know is that the winning jockey wore a pink riding outfit and the prize money won from this race is the highest amount ever.

For me, the horse races took a back seat to the lavish dresses and intriguing fixtures attached to women's heads (called fascinators). I have been told that the fashion at this event pales in comparison with the Royal Ascot in July when the dress code for fascinators seems to be: the bigger and gaudier, the better. But still, I was impressed by what I saw.

My friends and I wore fascinators, as we believed feathers protruding from our heads to be a rite of passage into British culture. I actually received a few compliments on my fascinator, a tiny top hat adorned with a large gauzy bow, pearls and feathers. Not too bad on my first try.

As someone who has never been to a hoserace in my life I found it to be quite amusing. People hang over the white fence cheering and men hop around like little boys screaming at the horses—called ridiculous names—to run faster and to "get yer bloody arse to the front."

Posing with the race course behind us.

But the highlight of my day was undeniably seeing Queen Elizabeth the Second.


Standing on my tippy-toes in a crowd of hundreds I waited for the Queen to make her surreptitious exit after she awarded the winner his trophy.

While I was waiting, an impatient man in front of me said to his girlfriend: "I'm getting bloody thirsty. We can wait for  the Queen or get drinks. You decide, love."

"Drinks." They pushed through the crowd of eager bystanders waiting to catch a glimpse of Her Majesty, the reigning Head of the Commonwealth State.

Such is British life. The pint supersedes all, even the Queen Mum.

The Queen Mum making her escape.

 But I, I was determined to snap a photo of the Queen Mum if it killed me. So I stood there with my camera poised strategically between women's fascinators and waited. And waited.

One woman who just arrived told her friend: "Queeny must be using the loo. The que wasn't moving atall!" Sure enough, she was!


Finally, the Queen appeared wearing a tailored pastel pink dress with a matching hat atop her iconic coiffure. She waived to her cheering fans. A chorus of All Hail the Queen broke out and then she disappeared into her car and left.