Jockey Club scraps formal dress codes to make horseracing 'more accessible and inclusive'
The club runs more than a dozen of the UK's top racing venues and says it wants people to know they can show up in whatever makes them feel confident.
Thursday 2 February 2023 12:12, UK
The Jockey Club is scrapping dress codes at all its courses to make horseracing more "accessible and inclusive".
People are not being discouraged from dressing smart if they want to, but racegoers can now wear what makes them "most comfortable and confident".
It means they will no longer be restricted to certain enclosures based on what they're wearing.
Fans often choose to dress smartly but it's a misconception that formal dress must always be worn - even at big events such as The Grand National and Cheltenham Festival.
Jockey Club boss Nevin Truesdale said it was getting rid of any "ambiguity or uncertainty" so people know they can wear what they like.
However, some red lines remain.
Offensive fancy dress, offensive clothing and replica sport kits are still banned, and formalwear is mandatory in the Queen's stand at Epsom on Derby Day.
Royal Ascot is also not covered because the Jockey Club doesn't run the Berkshire racecourse.
The venues under its control are: Aintree, Carlisle, Cheltenham, Exeter, Epsom Downs, Haydock Park, Huntingdon, Kempton Park, Market Rasen, Newmarket, Nottingham, Sandown Park, Warwick, and Wincanton.
The change is effective immediately and comes after feedback from fans and a review of the rules.
Mr Truesdale said the Jockey Club puts "great emphasis on diversity and inclusion and always seeks to reflect modern trends".
"It has been clear to us that enforcing a dress code seems rather outdated in the 21st century in the eyes of many of our racegoers," he added.