Launch night signals start of countdown to Ladies Day

Tickets are selling better than ever for the biggest day of the year at Southwell Racecourse — The Advertiser Media Group Ladies Day.

The event on August 19 gives ladies the chance to step out in their finery with glamour and elegance very much part of the day.

Eden Hall Day Spa, Elston, is a main sponsor again this year. One of the seven races will be named after the spa.

Eden Hall is offering luxury spa, beauty and wellness experiences for the best dressed lady competition.

Their wellness team will be there on the day running competitions and advising on upcoming promotions.

Ladies Day celebrations started on Thursday when a launch night party at the spa brought together all the race day sponsors, along with local businesses and key figures.

Advertiser sales and marketing director Rachel Wilson said Ladies Day always attracted thousands of people and had become an important date in the social calendar.

"It gets better each year. Everyone makes a special effort with their outfits and it is lovely to see everybody having such a wonderful day out," Rachel said.

She said the area was lucky to have such a first-class racecourse.

"It really is the perfect venue. We are all looking forward to another successful Ladies Day," Rachel said.

The racecourse marketing assistant, Mr Will Bowler, said the VIP Lawn and the Seasons Restaurant tickets had already sold out, so a champagne package had been added to give racegoers an extra option that was well priced and offered more than just an admission ticket.

"The event has grown and grown, mainly through word of mouth, and luckily the weather has been kind in the past few years too," he said.

Mr Bowler said the event had become the social highlight in the area.

"We are extremely proud of the event," he said.

"The day itself is brilliant fun, very lively with a relaxed atmosphere where people make a real effort to get dressed up and enjoy the day."

Mr Neil Cree, of Newark, has organised a coach full of 49 racegoers to the event for the eighth year. He said the day out was so popular he had a waiting list of people wanting to join the trip.

They start their day at The Barge, Newark, before leaving for the racecourse at 11am. They spend a full day at the races before returning to Newark in the evening.

Neil said most of the group were couples and the men were as smartly dressed as the women.

"If the ladies are dressed up then the men should be too. It is strictly no jeans or trainers," he said.

Beaumond House Com-munity Hospice, Newark, is the event’s chosen charity.

Gates open at 11am. The first race is at 2.20pm, and the seventh and final one is at 5.30pm. The day continues with live music from Abba Arrival until about 7pm.

Tickets are available offering a range of options starting with an early-bird admission ticket for £23, which is available until until the end of June.

To book visit southwell-racecourse.co.uk

Pictured above at the Ladies Day launch event at Eden Hall are, left to right (back) Richard Arnold, of the Porsche Centre, Nottingham; chairman of the Advertiser Media Group Joanna Parlby, executive director at Southwell Racecourse Mark Clayton and (front) Cathryn Crane, of Beaumond House Community Hospice, and Eden Hall marketing executive Chrissy Ward.