Horseraces?

Question

why are they a formal event?

Answer 1

It all depends on where you sit

Answer 2

at the beginning it was called "the sport of kings"

not winos.

Answer 3

depends on where you sit

Answer 4

Depends on the track and also where you sit.  Some tracks are a casual dress throughout no matter where you sit while others have certain areas where formal dress is required to sit in those areas.

Answer 5

As has been said, racing is known as The Sport of Kings as it was first started by the aristocracy, including Charles II, in Newmarket in the 1600s.

Going racing was seen as a social occasion, a chance to see and be seen.

Royal Ascot is still an important part of the social calendar, and you will find that a lot of people there have little interest in the actual racing!

We still have quite a strict dress code for racing in GB.  To get into Members you must be smartly dressed: men in suits ladies in smart day wear, etc.  At certain race meetings the dress code is more strictly interpretted, for example at the Derby meeting at Epsom you can only enter the Queen's Stand if men are in morning dress or military uniform and ladies must either wear a dress, skirt suit or trouser suit - but only if the jacket and trousers are made of the same fabric and are the same colour.  Ladies must also wear a hat.