Behind the Scenes at Royal Ascot–The Silver Ring

BEHIND THE SCENES AT ROYAL ASCOT– 
THE SILVER RING 
After years of turning left on Ascot’s High Street, I turned right today and headed into the unfamiliar territory of the Silver Ring. The warnings had been dire: “Be careful what you take with you”; “watch out for drunken louts” and “the Silver Ring–never been there, heard it was rather uncivilized.” Good grief, what precisely was I letting myself in for? With friends ready to come to my rescue should I not return, I turned right on the High Street and joined the throngs of colorfully dressed racegoers on their way to the Silver Ring, laden with blankets and cooler boxes. 
At the entrance, several tables await, where the staff thoroughly check the contents of all bags for anything illegal being sneaked in. That entails sniffing bottles of cooldrink for any hint of alcohol. Carrying no bags, I thought I would sail through, but alas, it was not quite so simple. The guard at the entrance was completely confused at my lack of a ticket. A weekly parade ring pass and a photographer’s armband, never seen those before! Clearly accredited photographers do not venture down here too often. Fortunately, after some careful scrutiny and spirited debating with some fellow officials, I was allowed to enter. 
The Silver Ring, I discovered, is actually quite a pleasant place. A large marquee, complete with the obligatory Union Jack bunting, kept the bars cool and provided welcome shade on the hottest day of the week. Most of the Silver Ring, however, is one giant glorious lawn. Here, a crowd of 20,000 made themselves at home, complete with picnic blankets, champagne, canapes and the obligatory pink champagne glasses. 
From picnic blankets to fold-up aluminum tables, anything goes, as long as it clearly demarcates your chosen spot. With the lawns on a gentle slope, most spots have a good view of the track. I was reliably informed, though, that with no alcohol allowed on course, one also has to take into consideration the proximity of the nearest bar when choosing a spot. With the Scenic Blast, Takeover Target and Le Moss Bars serving wine and beer, the Real Ale Bar serving, well, real ale and the Danedream and Sagaro Bar going out on a limb with champagne and beer, all tastes are catered for. 
The same goes for food, and should that packed picnic basket accidentally have been left at home, Ascot Artisian Delicatessen will be happy to come to the rescue. Here, you can create your own bespoke picnic from a choice of fresh salads, smoked mackerel, breads, Bento boxes, potted olives and, of course, popcorn. Not in the mood for a picnic? Then there is the Great British Burgers, The Great British Sausages and, of course, The Great British Fish and Chips. 
Going for a walk around the lawns, I discovered that the fashion is just as varied as the nationalities. I meet South Africans, Hungarians, the odd Russian and even an American, complete in top hat and tails. Think he may have got lost along the way to the Royal Enclosure, but he sure was having a fine time in the Silver Ring. Despite the Silver Ring’s reputation, most racegoers have dressed for the occasion. Shoes are not obligatory, but if you do decide to wear some then the higher the better. There are hats, fascinators, hatinators and even a feather or two. Yes, some dresses were a wee bit short or revealing and no, long socks and green shorts do not go with a tie and jacket, but on the whole, most people were very smart indeed. 
At the end of the day, I had a great time in the Silver Ring. I met some fascinating people, drank pink champagne from a pink plastic glass, was toasted, chatted up and even proposed to. Racing is about the horses, about winning and even about having a bet, but at the end of the day, all that really matters is that you have fun and the crowd in the Silver Ring was certainly doing just that.