The centre piece of the entire Royal Ascot Meeting 2009 has to be the Thursday traditionally known as Ladies Day.  However you will not find that description of the day in any racecourse literature as this title was invented by a unknown poet as far back as 1823.  Since then the public has affectionately grabbed this title and christened the most popularly attended day. 

Earmarked for designer dresses and spectacular, if not sometimes bizarre, hats the afternoon is now as well known for fashion as it is for horses.

The highlight of the day is undoubtedly The Gold Cup run over two and a half miles.  The Gold Cup was first run in 1807 and still remains the most prestigious race run over further than two miles in the whole Flat racing calendar.  The first winner Master Jackey has since been joined a long list of illustrious winners with Yeats trained by Aidan O’Brien being the most recent name on the roll of honour dominating the race in recent seasons and winning for the past three years.  A hat-trick of wins has only ever been achieved by one other horse Sagaro in 1975-1977.

Sagaro was partnered by the most successful jockey in the race, the great, Lester Piggott who recorded no less than eleven Gold Cup victories during his long career.  Whilst the winning most trainer remains Alec Taylor who was victorious on six occasions during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s

In recent years we have seen many great winners such as Double Trigger, Kayf Tara and Royal Rebel and these great names are synonymous with this unique blend of racing and society.