Cheltenham racegoers braved the cold in thigh-skimming outfits as they arrived for day two of the festival that is dubbed ‘Style Wednesday’.
As temperatures across the UK fell sharply after a week of suprise sunshine – dubbed a ‘fool’s spring’ – warmed the country, revellers brought the heat to the course in Gloucestershire by showing off their most glamorous race day looks.
Among them was the King’s neice Zara Tindall, who was accompanied by her husband Mike Tindall.
The royal equestrian, 42, once again picked a neutral pantsuit – this time Zara opted for a grey ensemble – with a pop of colour, as a burgundy turtleneck peeked through her blazer.
She matched her hat and handbag to the sweater, as Zara completed her look with a pair of black, pointed ankle boots and sunglasses.
Meanwhile, Mike wore a navy blue suit with a brick-coloured tie, as the pair were seen posing for photographs at the race course.
Zara wasn’t the only member of the Royal Family in attendance, as Princess Eugenie joined her cousin for a day at the races.
It appears that burgundy was on the royal style memo as Eugenie, 34, donned a double-breasted blazer in the same colour as Zara’s high-neck.
As temperatures across the UK fell sharply after a week of suprise sunshine – dubbed a ‘fool’s spring’ – warmed the country, revellers brought the heat to the course in Gloucestershire by showing off their most glamorous looks in honour of Style Wednesday
Racegoer Lisa Luse was striking in her neon green ensemble, comprising an open coat, a purple dress, matching heeled boots, and a darker green belt to cinch her waist
Another attendee shows off her coordinated emerald green look, including a matching hat with a long feather attached to it
Some made a statement with bold headpieces in bright colours
The pair were spotted deep in conversation as they made their way to the course.
According to the festival’s website, Style Wednesday ‘celebrates both the thrill of racing and the art of fashion’, with attendees interpreting the dress code in a multitude of colourful ways.
Some made a statement with bold headpieces in bright colours while others donned mini skirts with long boots, showing a hint of leg, despite snowfall in Cheltenham in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Racegoer Lisa Luse was striking in her neon green ensemble, comprising an open coat, a purple dress, matching heeled boots, and a darker green belt to cinch her waist.
Coordinated leopard print looks, tartan print ponchos, statement bags, and faux-fur lined coats were all on display, as glamorous attendees also wore big smiles while posing for photographs.
British designer Jade Holland Cooper looked chic in a black-and-white houndstooth co-ord set, comprising a blazer and long, fitted skirt, worn over a crisp white shirt and a thin tie.
She added an elegant fascinator to complete her look.
For 30 years, Cheltenham’s Style Wednesday was fondly referred to as Ladies Day before being rebranded in 2024.
It appears that burgundy was on the royal style memo as Eugenie, 34, donned a double-breasted blazer in the same colour as Zara’s high-neck
The royal equestrian, 42, once again picked a neutral pantsuit – this time Zara opted for a grey ensemble – with a pop of colour, as a burgundy turtleneck peeked through her blazer
Day two of the prestigious four-day event is known for attracting a host of royals and celebrities alike as they show off their sartorial prowess while enjoying a day out at the races.
However, the gender-neutral shift from Ladies Day to Style Wednesday was made two years ago, when a spokesperson for the Cheltenham Festival said the move was a bid to promote sustainable or slow fashion.
‘This year we re-launched day two of The Festival as Style Wednesday to celebrate “fast horses, slow fashion”, encouraging racegoers to make more sustainable fashion choices, showcasing their unique and personal style, and to share the stories behind their amazing outfits with friends, family and on social media,’ they explained.
As part of the Style Wednesday festivities, the spokesperson said, both men and women can compete in the Slow Fashion Style Awards that replaced the erstwhile ‘Best Dressed Competition’ on Ladies Day.
This year’s Style Wednesday kicked off after boozy revellers brought the curtain down on Day One with a night of partying.
Drinks were flowing as ebullient racegoers were spotted dancing in the streets, singing along with one another, and posing for photographs while toasting pints.
Earlier in the day, fashionistas descended on the course in Gloucestershire with many putting a vibrant and colourful twist on the rural staples of tweed and fur.
Anxious to prove they can hold their own against the fashionable displays seen at Ascot and Aintree each year, racegoers dressed up in statement suits, knee-high boots and fur-trimmed hats and capes.
Head-to-toe plaid! Festivalgoer steals the show with coordinated ensemble comprising a long plaid trench coat and a matching blazer, waistcoat, as well as trousers, that is equal parts fashionable and functional
Mini skirts and short dresses were among the most popular outfits on day two
A pair of friends pose for pictures on day two of the Cheltenham festival
Pretty in pink! While a pair of racegoers both decided to wear pink for Style Wednesday, they chose very different hues of the colour while tying their looks together with matching suede brown boots
Another attendee raises her glass of Guinness as day two of the prestigious four-day event gets underway
Pink was a big theme on Style Wednesday, with one racegoer opting to elevate her grey ensemble with a pop of colour
Perfectly coiffed women donned eye-catching prints, thigh-skimming dresses and eye-catching wide leg trousers as they arrived in their thousands to take in the first day of the action.
But not to be outdone by their female counterparts, some men added a touch of flair and opted for brightly coloured suits.
When it came to headwear, there was a sea of stylish trilby hats coming through the Festival’s doors, with others opting for striking feathered fascinators.
Check ensembles seemed to be the order of the day, with many guests opting for patterned jacket and trouser combos or mini skirts and blazer dresses.
Revellers were joined by VIPs including the King’s niece Zara, fashion designer Jade Holland Cooper and TV personality Georgia Toffolo.
Zara, who returned to the course on day two, looked effortlessly elegant in her monochrome ensemble as the royal equestrian donned Fairfax & Favour’s Victoria double-breasted wool coat with big gold buttons.
Zara, who was named the luxury brand’s official ambassador earlier this month, matched her outerwear to a navy ruffled shirt and a pair of wide-leg trousers.
She paired them with Fairfax & Favor’s Chiswick Heeled Quilted Ankle Boots and leather gloves.
However, she added a pop of colour with a mustard fascinator that complemented her coat’s buttons as well as the gold chain on her £495 black Aspinal of London’s ‘Lottie’ bag,
Dramatic and over-the-top headpieces were another style fixture of day two, which was previously referred to as Ladies Day
As part of the Style Wednesday festivities, the spokesperson said, both men and women can compete in the Slow Fashion Style Awards that replaced the erstwhile ‘Best Dressed Competition’ on Ladies Day
Not to be left behind, the men at Cheltenham also got into the spirit of Style Wednesday by donning brightly coloured suits with wacky prints
British designer Jade Holland Cooper looked chic in a black-and-white houndstooth co-ord set, comprising a blazer and long, fitted skirt, worn over a crisp white shirt and black tie
Zara was previously seen carrying the luxury handbag at a charity event in London last month.
She also added a pair of tortoise shell sunglasses and elegant gold earrings to tie her look for the first day of Cheltenham together, as the King’s niece appeared fresh-faced and excited for the day’s event.
She kept her makeup to a minimum, allowing her flawless complexion to shine through a sheer layer of foundation while opting for a soft, smokey eye look and a swipe of nude lipstick.
It comes after a supercomputer predicted the winners from day one of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.
Using data going all the way back to 1990, the machine has analysed every winning horse at Cheltenham while including a variety of factors such as age, betting position, past results and trainer records.
An algorithm then attributes a score of between 1 and -1 depending on how well each horse matches the winning characteristics.
The characteristics are then used to identify the horses most likely to win each race at this year’s festival – but it is bad news for favourites.
Tuesday’s top race sees Constitution Hill (8/11) as the favourite listed in the first day’s feature race – the Champion Hurdle.
Racegoers arriving for day two of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse
A woman greets fellow attendees enthusiastically
One attendee (left) rocks a rather unusual horse head hat
A festival attendee wearing a glamorous tan brown coat with a matching hat, and a complementary silk scarf to finish her elegant look
While the eight-year-old missed the 2024 edition of the festival, it beat Lossiemouth at Kempton in January and remains unbeaten with eight Grade One victories.
In another of the first day’s top races – the Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase – Majborough has also been tipped for victory.
Anyone looking to back an outsider may be best placed hedging their bets on the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, which is scheduled to get underway at 1:20pm on Tuesday afternoon.
At 12/1, Workhead has been predicted to beat odds-on favourite Kopek Des Bordes (5/6) in the first race of the day.
The supercomputer also predicts that Crebilly will beat The Ultima Handicap Chase favourite The Changing Man, which is pencilled in for 2:40pm.
However, the biggest upset could come in the Mares Hurdle, with the algorithm predicting champion Lossiemouth at 4/5 to lose out to Jade De Grugy at 5/2.
Lossiemouth is also due to race against overwhelming favourite Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle at 4:00pm in the day’s headline race.
