Cheltenham 2024 racegoers including Georgia Toffolo raise the fashion stakes as they celebrate St Patrick’s Thursday
CHELTENHAM Festival fans have pulled out all the stops as they arrive for St Patrick’s Thursday.
Day three of the racing bonanza has kicked off in style and many glamorous attendees – including Georgia ‘Toff’ Toffolo and Josie Gibson – have dressed to the nines.
Around 250,000 Cheltenham fans are expected to flock to the famous Gloucestershire racecourse for the four-day racing event.
From fancy frocks to daring heels, guests haven’t been afraid to make a statement with their fashionable looks.
Of course, it wouldn’t be Cheltenham without an array of unique headpieces also being on show.
While some people have opted for stylish, wide-brimmed hats, others have opted for feather-adorned fascinators.
As well as sipping champagne and watching the horses, there has also been the chance for attendees to celeb-spot too.
Georgia ‘Toff’ Toffolo looked effortlessly chic as she wore an elegant brown coat and red headband.
Royalty was once again in attendance, with Zara and Mike Tindall appearing to be having a ball with Princess Beatrice and husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.
Princess Anne arrived wearing a green ensemble, in a nod to the St Patrick’s Thursday theme.
TV host Josie Gibson appeared to share a joke with Made in Chelsea star Sam Thompson before the racing began.
Nick Knowles looked smart arriving hand in hand with fiancée Katie Dadzie.
On Tuesday, the Queen also made an appearance, alongside royal family members Zara and Mike, and Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank.
Yesterday saw a change to the historic Ladies Day at Cheltenham, with the day being rebranded as Style Wednesday.
While the day typically saw guests, celebrities and royalty alike show off their high fashion ensembles, the event is now open to both men and women.
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The Cheltenham awards panel also included a new ‘slow fashion’ awards ceremony, which included vintage outfits, or those put together from charity shops or online resellers.
Nestled in the heart of the Cotswolds, Cheltenham racecourse has hosted racing since 1815 and is one of the highlights in the racing calendar.
This year the Cheltenham Festival started on Tuesday March 12 and will run until Friday March 15.
The main events are the Champion Hurdle on Tuesday, the Champion Chase on Wednesday, Thursday’s Stayers’ Hurdle and the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday, all run at 3.30pm.
For more than 200 years, punters have been instructed to wear traditional formal dress, with elaborate get-ups a common sight at racetracks like Cheltenham.
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However, in 2023, The Jockey Club, which runs 15 racecourses including Cheltenham, relaxed the rules and changed the policy to make racing more “accessible and inclusive”.
The dress code for Cheltenham Festival is now whatever makes people feel “comfortable and confident”, the Jockey Club has said.
The previous dress code advised men to wear suits and women to wear cocktail dresses.
Why has Ladies Day been scrapped at Cheltenham Festival?
A Cheltenham Racecourse spokesperson said: “This year we re-launched day two of The Festival as Style Wednesday to celebrate ‘fast horses, slow fashion’, encouraging racegoers to make more sustainable fashion choices, showcasing their unique and personal style, and to share the stories behind their amazing outfits with friends, family and on social media.
“This includes re-wearing outfits they already have in their wardrobes, purchasing timeless garments to wear again and again and also buying from retailers specialising in pre-loved clothing.”
Now, spectators will be allowed to wear whatever they like at the event, including jeans, trainers and even tracksuits.
However, offensive fancy dress, offensive clothing of any kind and replica sports shirts are still banned.
While spectators won’t be discouraged from dressing smartly if they want to, they will no longer be restricted from certain enclosures based on what they’re wearing.
The Jockey Club has said the old dress code had been “rather outdated in the 21st Century”, and wants spectators to be comfortable in the changeable British weather.