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MEDIA & RACING CONTACTS
Due to the knock on effects of the General Election, the 2001 Royal Procession was restricted to two days as the horses and carriages were required to convey The Queen to Wesminster for the State Opening of Parliament on the Wednesday and had to be in place for a practice on Tuesday. The Royal Party, including The Queen, came by car on both days and arrived in time for racing.
Sir John Crocker Bulteel was Clerk of the Course from 1946 until his death in 1956. A figure of great importance in the history of Ascot Racecourse, Sir John Crocker Bulteel was known as an outstanding racing administrator but it was his love of racing that he is most famous for. It is due mainly to the dedication of Sir John that today Ascot stages more than just the Royal Meeting. The King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, initially run as the Festival of Britain Stakes, was his brainchild. The race was first run in 1951 and did more than any other race to change the face of top-level racing in this country and, ultimately, the world. It promoted the cause of international inter-age competition and more often than not, its winner is the seasonal champion.
During the foot and mouth outbreak in 2001, the management suggested that ladies bear in mind the precautionary foot and mouth disinfectant mats on all entrances to the racecourse when considering their footwear. Not everyone listened which made for some interesting pictures in the likes of “Hello” and “Harpers” that year!
In 1964, Trelawny was to bid for a third consecutive Ascot Stakes/Queen Alexandra Stakes double. He was beaten in the Ascot Stakes but would have walked over in the Queen Alexandra on Friday had the meeting not been abandoned due to waterlogging. This is the answer to a question which appeared in the Racing Post Christmas quiz in 2001 and resulted in numerous calls to all departments at the racecourse!
In 2005, Ascot auctioned some 300 lots of memorabilia associated with the old stand. The auction raised £389,965 with Racing Welfare the primary beneficiary with the bulk of this coming from a bid of £280,000 for the wrought cast iron entranceway from the track to the Winners’ Enclosure, purchased by leading owner Bill Gredley. The crowd fell silent as the bid just kept going up and up from an original reserve of just £20,000 - £30,000!
Jockeys at Ascot are called to mount by a bell in the parade ring and, unique to Ascot, a bell is also rung as the horses swing into the straight for races run on the round course.
RACING CONTACTS
Nick Smith Director of Racing & Public Affairs 07771 791449 nick.smith@ascot.com
Ashley Morton-Hunte Corporate and Racing Communications Manager 07803 007997 ashley.morton-hunte@ascot.com
Will Aitkenhead Industry Affairs Manager 07817 124115 will.aitkenhead@ascot.com
Chris Stickels, Head of Racing and Clerk of the Course 07970 621440 chris.stickels@ascot.com
Hannah Parlett Owners & Trainers’ Manager 07738 716395 hannah.parlett@ascot.com
Sarah Maxwell Production Manager 07817 124002 sarah.maxwell@ascot.com
Alexandra Bertram Consumer PR Manager 07890 630608 alexandra.bertram@ascot.com
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