Fashion on show at garden racecourse

YORKSHIRE ladies were out in style and giving the Ascot crowd a run for their money at Ripon Racecourse on Thursday for the annual Ladies Day fixture, sponsored by James Brindley of Harrogate.

Record numbers attended the champagne luncheon in the fashion marquee where guests were entertained with fashion show collections from Lynx Womenswear and Menswear. Up and coming fashion students graduating from Harrogate College also enjoyed the opportunity to present their own shows to the 250 strong audience who all took home luxury goody bags.

A raffle and charity auction following the lunch raised £5775.78 for this year’s nominated Ladies Day charity, Breast Cancer Haven. Guests were able to bid for unique prizes including lunch at Coutts in London, followed by a visit to top lingerie and swimwear specialist Rigby & Peller, a Girls Aloud T-shirt signed by Kimberley Walsh, and a visit to a racing stables including a morning on the gallops followed by lunch with retired champion jockey ‘Gentleman George’ Duffield.

Wearing black with striking accessories, this year’s Best Dressed Lady was Freddie James from Yarm who won £500 in gift vouchers sponsored by Lynx Womenswear. A familiar face in racing’s Best Dressed parades, Jayne Spink from Harrogate was awarded Best Hat, winning Joint Annual Membership to Ripon Races for the 2010 season. Freddie James will go forward to the final of Go Racing in Yorkshire’s 2010 Best Dressed Lady competition along with winners from all the other Yorkshire courses at Doncaster Racecourse on 10th September.