BYO! Ascot punters allowed to take their own refreshments for Ladies Day

ANOTHER day of Royal Ascot has been blessed with glorious British sunshine with temperatures forcing organisers to relax the normally strict catering rules to allow punters to bring in their own refreshments.

Thursday of the five-day event is known as Ladies Day, with female racegoers pulling out all the stops on this highlight of the fashion calendar. 

A red-coated brass band kept the crowd entertained on the immaculate lawn of the Queen Anne enclosure with instrumental versions of pop classics as they waited for the royal guests to arrive. 

The procession from Windsor to the racecourse was today headed by the Princess Royal and her daughter Zara Tindall, both accomplished Olympic equestrians. 

Princess Anne – in a vibrant orange dress, cream hat with smart black rim and fascinator paired with white gloves – was greeted by loud cheers as she waved at crowds down the racecourse and into the enclosure. 

Zara cut an elegant figure in a high-necked white buttoned dress and stand-out green hat with fuscia pink fascinator adorned on top. Her ex-rugby player husband Mike Tindall accompanied them. 

The Queen has three runners today. The first, Saga will run at 5pm in the Britannia Stakes. The grey three-year-old colt will be ridden by Frankie Dettori. 

The second, Reach For The Moon, will run at 5.35pm in the Hampton Court Stakes, also ridden by Dettori. Finally at 6pm Tactical will run in the Buckingham Palace Stakes. 

Crowds remained hopeful of the Queen making an appearance. 

Millie Line, 26, attending Ladies Day with friends told the Daily Mail: ‘Of course we hope she comes, it would be so special, particularly this year, her jubilee. 

‘Even so, its a real treat to watch her horses run, and I hope they win for her.’ 

Todd Raymond, 53, and his son James, 26, have travelled from Colorado for two weeks. 

‘We wouldn’t miss it,’ Mr Raymond told the Mail. ‘We’re here for two weeks and our friends in London told us while we were here we must go to Ascot.

‘It would be the highlight of our trip for sure if Her Majesty was here, we’ll just have to wait and see though.’ 

The Queen herself wrote in the forward of the events official programme: ‘After the challenges of recent times, this year’s royal meeting provides a long-awaited opportunity for supporters of racing from all over the world to come together for five days of outstanding sport. 

‘Once again, it is thrilling that horses from around the globe have travelled to Royal Ascot to compete at the highest level.’