It may have been a cloudy day across Wales but the technicolour provided by the ladies at one of Welsh sport’s most glamorous days ensured it was still a bright one.
While thousands of women thronged to Royal Ascot’s world-famous Ladies’ Day, their Welsh counterparts attended what is fast becoming its popular Welsh equivalent at Ffos Las in Carmarthenshire, the first new all-purpose racecourse in Britain for 81 years.
Visitors to the event cheered on champion jockey Tony McCoy on an evening that marked the second anniversary of the opening of the racecourse.
At Ascot, Liz Hurley said she was going to wear a thermal vest under her Versace outfit because of the weather.
But the windy outlook in South-West Wales didn’t lead to any compromise in style.
Karen Millen proved a hot designer favourite with dozens of race-goers, while Dolce & Gabbana and Ben de Lisi were among the other popular choices
More than 4,000 people were there for the course’s second birthday, which also screened the 300th Ascot event.
Kerry Hughes, who owns cafe Braz in Llandeilo, was joined by a party of 20 to celebrate her birthday at the event.
The 30-year-old looked stunning in a chic Karen Millen white embroidered dress with flashes of coral red. The ensemble was complemented with the
designer’s shoes and fascinator and completed with a red Cherry Chau bag.
“My parents own racehorses and have had winners in Williams’ Way and She’s My Outsider at Windsor and Chepstow, so going to the races is a regular thing for me,” she said.
“This is my first visit to Ffos Las but it’s proved to be a wonderful venue and it’s so nice to have an event like this on our doorstep.
“It has all the glamour and fun of Ascot but it feels so much more intimate here.
“We love to glam up but often there just isn’t enough opportunity. This is a great way for all the ladies to get together and have some fun, but to really do it in style.
“Putting my outfit together was pretty easy because most of it is Karren Millen, who I think is a brilliant designer.”
Her friend Hayley Evans, who runs Morgan Edward health and beauty salon in Llandeilo, sported an understated Dolce & Gabbana silk shift white front dress, with black lace applique sides which she co-ordinated with shoes from the same fashion house.
“Looking at Ascot this week, and in terms of icons at the moment, it has to be said that Kate Middleton is the woman of the moment,” she said. “She’s stylish and subtle, which I think makes her stand out and certainly someone many women aspire to be like.”
While the eye-catching designer styles were in abundance, some savvy dressers won approval from Welsh milliner Alison Tod, who said style was as much about confidence than it was about designer labels.
“I’ve seen some great hats and fascinators here, but they are certainly more understated than we have seen at Ascot,” she said.
“I think that hat-wise it can be hard to find a great range of colours in department stores – they tend to go for the tried and tested classics, but as far as garments go you can find some wonderful outfits on the high street. John Lewis is great and Karen Millen is brilliant.”
She said many of her confident customers shop in New Look and Dorothy Perkins, which had “entry-level” collections, but were pulling off great ensembles by piecing their accessories together well.
