Colourful fashion statement on grey day for racing

Fabulous frocks and flamboyant fascinators in a rainbow of hues brightened up an otherwise grey and rainy day at York Racecourse yesterday.

Away from the action on the Knavesmire, all eyes were on the catwalk in the Fashion on the Field marquee where around 700 stylish racegoers strutted their stuff in the hope of being crowned Best Dressed Lady Racegoer.

Milliner Yvette Jelfs, who set up and presented the competition together with fashion designer Jeff Banks, said entry numbers had doubled from last year.

“It was a delight to meet so many people from the area,they are very friendly and very well dressed and they all seemed to be wearing hats, which was lovely,” she said. “Even the gentlemen were coiffured very well.”

The coveted title went to Faye Coupitt, who was wearing an eye-catching dress made up of a leopard-print layered skirt and leather top. Her outfit was topped by a leather pillar-box hat made by her sister, featuring a stingray-effect flower made of gold-coloured pheasant feathers and merry widow veiling.

“It was beautiful,” said Yvette – praise indeed from the woman known as the Grand Dame of hat-making.

Trends on parade at the racecourse included yellow hues, maxi-dresses and lace corset detailing, she noted.

“The great thing about York is there are so many different styles,” she added.

“We don’t judge anyone on what’s fashionable - everyone’s got their own look, which is really important.”

Ms Coupitt won a holiday for two to Dubai with entry to the Dubai World Cup Race Night, as well as a place in the Grand Final tomorrow, when she will battle it out with winners from each other day of the festival for the prize of a luxury Caribbean escape.

Away from the catwalk, Ladies’ Day was a more sedate affair compared with the raw emotion displayed when the mighty Frankel, the world’s best racehorse, powered to immortality on the Knavesmire 24 hours earlier.

Many racegoers simply wanted their pictures taken by the undefeated thoroughbred’s name, which had already been inscribed on the roll of honour outside one of the main stands.

Olympic boxing champion Nicola Adams pulled no punches as she carried out the draw for tomorrow’s Betfred Ebor.

The race – the oldest and probably most famous at York and the richest handicap in Europe – is being staged on a Saturday for only the second time in its illustrious history.

While Yorkshire’s ladies were resplendent in their finery, the Leeds gold medallist was, to the delight of many, still in her Team GB uniform – and proudly showing off her medal.

And trainer Sir Mark Prescott was said to be delighted at the draw result when Motivado, the ante-post favourite, was handed stall eight in the middle of the track.

It was Ladies’ Day both on and off the Knavesmire, with four races for mares and fillies, including the feature race, the Darley Yorkshire Oaks.

Torrential rain made for testing conditions as the French-trained Shareta powered through the deluge to overhaul The Fugue, who is owned and bred by composer Andrew Lloyd-Webber and his wife Madeleine.

There was disappointment when the Queen’s well-backed Sequence could only finish second in race five.

However, Yorkshire had cause to celebrate with two notable victories – Hototo, a Royal Ascot winner, won the opener for Hambleton trainer Kevin Ryan while Dutch Rose took the finale.

She is trained by David O’Meara at Nawton, just a short gallop away from the Knavesmire where the walkways and car parks were left 
under several centimetres of standing water as underfoot conditions became more difficult.

Yet for many, this was simply a great excuse to take shelter in the Champagne lawn.

Although the crowd of 25,000 was 3,000 down on last year, attendances are still up for the week with two days to go.

York Racecourse spokesman James Brennan said: “Ladies’ Day always has a special atmosphere and lots of people have really looked forward to the day.

“You get a real sense that people have spent weeks, even months, planning their outfits and that gives the place a special feel.”