Royal Ascot 2017 dates: What is Ladies Day? What time is the Gold Cup? Schedule, odds
LADIES Day is the most stylish day of the Royal Ascot with thousands of punters dressing up in their finery for the races. But what is Ladies Day 2017?
Ladies Day is the most popular day of Royal Ascot week
It is Ladies Day at Royal Ascot and a number of royals, including the Queen, are expected to attend the famous races at Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire this week.
About 300,000 people are will flock to the five days of racing and there will be £6.58 million in prize money up for grabs.
Ascot has become synonymous with the finest fashion and Ladies Day is the day when punters show off their most spectacular outfits.
What is Ladies Day?
Ladies Day takes place on Thursday June 22 and is seen as the most popular day of the Royal Ascot week.
Punters take the opportunity to dress up, socialise and place bets on the various races including the main event - the Gold Cup.
The prestigious Gold Cup is a two-and-a-half-mile race that starts at 4.25pm on Ladies Day.
'Ladies Days' are used at most of the larger racing events, but the concept is thought to have originated at Ascot.
Traditionally on Ladies Day, women were offered free-entry or discounted tickets for events that would ordinarily be for men only.
Royal Ascot schedule
The racecourse opens at 10am each day before the Royal Procession at 2pm.
On each day of racing, the first race will begin at 2.30pm with the feature race at 4.25pm.
The final race of the day will be at 5.35pm and will be followed each day by singing around the bandstands at 6pm.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attended Royal Ascot today
What is the Royal Ascot race schedule?
Day one – Tuesday June 20
14.30 – Queen Anne Stakes
15.05 – Coventry Stakes
15.40 – King's Stand Stakes
16.20 – St James's Palace Stakes
17.00 – Ascot Stakes
17.35 – Windsor Castle Stakes
Kate Middleton dazzles at Royal Ascot in white lace dress
Day two – Wednesday June 21
14.30 – Jersey Stakes
15.05 – Queen Mary Stakes
15.40 – Duke of Cambridge Stakes
16.20 – Prince of Wales's Stakes
17.00 – Royal Hunt Cup
17.35 – Sandringham Stakes
Day three – Thursday June 22
14.30 – Norfolk Stakes
15.05 – Hampton Court Stakes
15.40 – Ribblesdale Stakes
16.20 – Gold Cup
17.00 – Britannia Stakes
17.35 – King George V Stakes
Ladies Day is on Thursday 22 June
Day four – Friday June 23
14.30 – Albany Stakes
15.05 – King Edward VII Stakes
15.40 – Commonwealth Cup
16.20 – Coronation Stakes
17.00 – Queen's Vase
17.35 – Duke of Edinburgh Stakes
Day five – Saturday June 24
14.30 – Chesham Stakes
15.05 – Wolferton Rated Stakes
15.40 – Hardwicke Stakes
16.20 – Diamond Jubilee Stakes
17.00 – Wokingham Stakes
17.35 – Queen Alexandra Stakes
Latest Gold Cup odds
These are the PaddyPower odds for the Gold Cup race on Thursday, as of 10:30am on Tuesday June 20.
Order Of St George – Evens
Simple Verse – 13/2
Big Orange – 8/1
Sheikzayedroad – 10/1
Torcedor – 12/1
Sweet Selection – 14/1
Endless Time – 16/1
Quest For More – 16/1
Harbour Law – 16/1
Prince of Arrann – 33/1
Trip To Paris – 33/1
She Is No Lady – 40/1
Nearly Caught – 40/1
Harrison – 50/1