Royal Ascot begins on Tuesday with punters needing to cough up hefty sums for a day on the drink with beer, cider, wine and champagne prices all catching the eye
Those heading to Royal Ascot best prepare themselves for an expensive day with a bottle of Moet champagne costing up to £250 for a bottle. Even those wishing to knock back Guinness or Peroni for the day will be spending nearly £8 for a pint.
Arguably the sport’s most popular meeting gets underway on Tuesday at the world famous Berkshire venue. Prices have continued to rise in recent years with tickets costing just shy of £100 in the grandstand – and those price hikes are reflected when you head to the bar.
A Peroni will set a punter back £7.80 – the same for a Guinness. A Meantime pale ale is only marginally cheaper at £7.50. Even those wishing to be sensible and have a day on the non-alcoholic beers will still have to fork out £5.50 for a 0% Peroni. A bottle of Cornish Orchards comes in at £7.80.
Anybody eyeing up the wine or the champagne best prepare themselves. A bottle of the very popular rose wine Whispering Angel will be costing you a mammoth £75 for a bottle. Bottles of red and white wine are anything between £30 – £45.
A large class comes in at £11 – but not for a Whispering Angel. That is only available by the bottle. Those in need of some fizz could spend up to £560. That will land you a bottle of Dom Perignon Blanc. Moet comes in at between £210 – £250 but those prices are for a 1500ml bottle – anything that’s 750ml comes it generally at just under half the price.
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Those at Royal Ascot will be able to see some stunning race however with three Group 1s kicking off the meeting on Tuesday. It all begins with the Queen Anne Stakes at 2.30pm where Rosallion goes off as the favourite.
The feature race is a 4.20pm and features a tantalising prospect of a 2,000 Guineas repeat. Ruling Court won on that May afternoon at Newmarket, edging out Fields of Gold, but goes into this afternoon’s St James’ Palace Stakes as the second favourite. Fields of Gold has since won the Irish 2,000 Guineas.
Thady Gosden, who trains the favourite with dad John, said: “He’s been in good order at home since his win in the Irish Two Thousand Guineas and the likely fast ground will play to his strengths.
“It’s a small but elite field and he goes there in good shape. His draw in stall five is a positive as it will give Colin Keane options rather than being drawn close to the rail, which can make things tricky.”
Henri Matisse represents the icon that is Aidan O’Brien, the race’s most successful trainer. Fresh off the back of a French Guineas success at Longchamp, this horse is a third contender in the St James’ Palace Stakes with Ryan Moore on board.