Ladies Day returned to Cheltenham Festival on Wednesday after a five-year hiatus, with organisers reporting a surge in female attendance. Pre-bought tickets showed that a third were purchased by women, up from 25 per cent last year, according to The Jockey Club, which owns the racecourse.
The revival of the event follows a review after last year's Style Wednesday, which saw the lowest festival attendance in 30 years at 41,949. Chief executive Guy Lavender, appointed last year, described Ladies Day as the day with the "most opportunity for growth". Changes include reduced beer prices and allowing free movement with drinks around the venue.
Racing enthusiast Kim Stretton-Pow, who has attended the festival for decades, welcomed the return, saying: "They should never have changed it to something else, we don't do woke. It's a good move for the racecourse." Former sports minister Nadine Dorries had previously condemned the name change as a "woke nod".
Ex-jockey Rachael Blackmore, appointed as head of Ladies Day last year, campaigned across the country to encourage more women to attend. She said: "It's great to see more women deciding to come along to Ladies Day this year. To see numbers go from 25 per cent to 33 per cent is fantastic."
The day features Style Awards with prizes over £10,000 for best-dressed individuals, duos and groups, as well as a dedicated zone with live music and entertainment. Opening Champion Day on Tuesday saw attendance rise 3 per cent to 57,242.
