With only a handful of fixtures remaining, Chester Racecourse is preparing for a Ladies Day meeting to remember, with a highly-anticipated Style Stakes Competition and a number of high-profile guests set to be involved in the festivities.
On Saturday 31 August, Chester will revel in fashion and style as SportPesa Ladies Day takes over the city. The World’s Oldest Racecourse in Operation will open its gates at 11:30 am, with seven top-level races taking place throughout the day including the feature race; the Class 1, Listed SportPesa Chester Stakes, with a prize of £38,000. The first race, the SportPesa Handicap Stakes, will take place at 1:35 pm and the MKM Building Suppliers Handicap Stakes will conclude an impressive card at 5:05 pm.
There will also be plenty of action off the track too, with the main event being Chester Racecourse’s hotly-awaited ‘Style Stakes’ Competition. Chester Racecourse has teamed up with Title Sponsor of the day, SportPesa, to provide some extra horsepower to this Ladies Day gala, and there are some fantastic turbo-charged prizes up for grabs for both Ladies and Gents. Ladies have the chance to win a 3-night trip to Milan, Italy, including a chance to watch the Italian F1 Grand Prix. The runner up will receive a special edition hat designed by Chester Milliner, Rachel Dawson, plus hospitality at the Ladies Day fixture in May 2020. The gents are competing for hospitality tickets to a Premier League or Championship football game of their choice plus 2020 Chester Cup Day hospitality. The men’s runner up will receive dinner and an overnight stay at the luxurious Peckforton Castle with accompanying driving experience, all courtesy of Jaguar Land Rover.
Jamie Copley, SportPesa Marketing Manager, is delighted to be part of such a grand event. “This is one of the highlights of racing at Chester and I am overjoyed that SportPesa can play such a significant role in a meeting that means so much. This is a weekend filled with celebration and tradition, and SportPesa is adding something extra to it with a once in a lifetime chance to win a trip to Milan to watch the Italian Grand Prix. This is just a flavour of the SportPesa Experience that we look to offer to our new and existing customers. We hope that bringing the SportPesa Experience to Chester means that people attending are getting so much more than a regular race meeting. This promises to be a memorable weekend and SportPesa are privileged to be associated with it.”
The competition will be judged by Milliner Rachel Dawson and two special guests, who will have the tough task of crowning the winners from thousands of fashionable racegoers. Open to those with a ticket enabling access to the Paddock, the competition will run from 11:30 am until 2:30 pm at the Flower Wall. Attendees looking to compete for pole position are encouraged to dress to impress and arrive early. Winners will be announced and presented later that afternoon in the Parade Ring.
As well as the Best Dressed competition, there will also be live music from The Lawn, the opportunity to join a local racing journalist for a ‘track-talk’ and free activities out on the Open Course for younger enthusiasts to enjoy between races.
Winning Post Enclosure and County Long Room Badges have already sold out and hospitality packages are now in short supply. Those looking to attend should visit www.chester-races.comfor more information on enclosure availability and purchase. Tickets and badges bought before Tuesday 27 August will be posted, otherwise collected on the day if purchased after this date. Available tickets can also be bought on the day and start at just £12 on the Open Course. Children aged 17 and under are eligible to attend completely free of charge, it’s the perfect celebration to the end of the summer holidays before the autumn term starts!
Remember to keep in the running via Twitter and Facebook this week, by using the hashtags #ChesterRaces and #StyleStakes