MAXINE GORDON makes her first visit to Royal Ascot to find out what York has to live up to next year.

BY uttering the word Ascot, I had already fallen at the first hurdle. "Actually, it is Ascut," corrected my very proper colleague Charles Hutchinson in his best cut-glass accent. "You have already made your first faux pas." I had stepped into the social minefield that is attending a Royal Ascot race meeting.

Like thousands of other people across North Yorkshire, I had been to race meetings at York, and even worn a hat once for an outing in the County Stand.

With the prospect of Royal Ascot - arguably the poshest date on the social calendar - moving to York next year, I had been dispatched to deepest Berkshire for the day to find out what we can expect at Knavesmire next June.

Anxious not to make any more social gaffes, I tried to discover what might be expected of me, particularly in terms of dress.

Royal Ascot is synonymous with fashion and its racegoers provide plenty of striking pictures for the media each year - and talking points.

However, various people had warned me about its legendary draconian dress code.

"You must keep your shoulders covered." "No open-toe sandals". "No fake tan. If you are over 30, you must wear tights." "If you wear a hat, it must cover the crown of your head."

Suddenly, my day out at the races was turning a bit sour. I had planned to wear a smart skirt and jacket, sandals and pass on the hat.

I was, after all, working and would have my laptop to lug around - so I could send this despatch - not to mention an eight-hour rail trip.

Where does a woman put her hat when she wants to snooze in the window seat - or struggle through six train coaches to reach the buffet car?

To clarify matters, I visited the official website (www.ascot.co.uk) and checked the dress code.

My first thought was: I'm glad I'm not a bloke. In the Royal Enclosure, men have to wear either black or grey morning dress, with a top hat.

For women, smart day dress is required. Trouser suits are permitted but must be of matching material. Hats must be worn, and not little feathery flimsy things, but proper ones which cover the crown.

My media pass only permitted access to the Grandstand, where the dress rules were more relaxed. However, it still requested smart dress, hats optional for women and jacket, collar and tie for men.

Nick Smith, spokesman for Ascot, confirms this will be the dress code at Royal Ascot in York next year.

So there's no escaping the fact that it will be a posher occasion - certainly in terms of fashion.

"The whole ethos is to bring the meeting as it is. It would not be fair to York or Royal Ascot to change it. York is looking forward to Royal Ascot coming," he said.

Royal Ascot regulars are looking forward to coming to York, or at least so said the ones I spoke to yesterday.

Although few had gone as far as to book accommodation, most were determined to keep up tradition.

Florence Claridge, looking stunning in a yellow David Shilling sculptured hat, has been coming to Royal Ascot for more than 20 years and is not about to allow a 200-mile move north to put an end to that. "It will be totally different but great fun. I have never been to York, but I am looking forward to it," she said.

Celebrities were rare on the ground at yesterday's race meeting, but one I did catch up with was Cilla Black, pencil thin and looking striking in a black dress and shocking pink jacket.

"It's about time Ascot came to the north," she told me. She had no doubts that York would rise to the occasion.

"Absolutely. It will be fantastic," she enthused. And would she come. "Of course," she said, bearing that trademark chipmunk smile.

Racegoer Susan Muncey was another regular promising to come to York. Her job is to predict trends, and she had one big premonition for Royal Ascot at York.

"York is a pretty place and is on the map as far as style and taste goes, but I think Royal Ascot is a real chance for ladies to make York more of a ladies place. When you think of York, you think of the Duke of York and Yorkie Man, but next year it will be a chance for ladies to make it their place."

However, closer to home, some race watchers feel there is work to do. Regular Ryedale racegoer Belinda Alexander, who has set up an Internet site (www.ascotracesyork.co.uk) to help Royal Ascot regulars make the transition to York, warns that we will have to smarten up for the event.

"You see older women at York Races sometimes with bare legs or women in a dress that would be better for a cocktail or evening dress. At Royal Ascot, there are definitely more women in formal day wear such as dresses and jackets," says Belinda.

While that is undoubtedly true, amid the top hats and tails at Royal Ascot yesterday, there were plenty of high fashion outfits, not to mention a fair sprinkling of fashion faux pas, which we are not unfamiliar with at York.

However, hat entrepreneur Beryl Otley, of Get Ahead Hats, near York, is in no doubt the north will rise to the occasion of hosting Royal Ascot.

"I have been to Royal Ascot twice and I think ladies up north are equally as fashion conscious. There are ladies from York who go to Royal Ascot every year and wear the most wonderful clothes.

"It will be different at York next year because it will be a Royal meeting. Things will be a little more upmarket.

"I think York will really come up to the standard. We may even be better because people will try that bit harder."

:: Time to flex your flexible friend

RACING can be a pricey business by the time you have bought your outfit, race card and got in a round or two in the champagne bar.

But as you may expect, at Royal Ascot everything is that little bit more upmarket. And expensive.

Entrance to the Grandstand alone is £54, or £75 for the Royal Enclosure.

The cheapest bottle of bubbly is £64.50, for Moet & Chandon none the less, but if you really wanted to push the boat out a Dom Perignon Rose would set you back £180.

A glass of Pimms is £4 as is a glass of Fosters' lager.

Even a hotdog costs four quid.

There were hog roasts on sale too and a pork roll was £4.50, although you could 'go posh' and have a sirloin steak roast in a baguette for £6.95.

For the price of the best champagne on the course, there was a spending spree to be had in the Ascot shop.

Some super chic Prada sunglasses were £130 and I spotted a pretty pink pashmina scarf for £150.

There are five of these shops on the racecourse site stocking everything from designer brollies for £50 and £100 Liz Cox handbags to cashmere stoles, gents' ties and waistcoats and Wedgewood silver jewellery.

There is also a Royal Ascot own-brand silver jewellery collection, the perfect gift for anyone who has ever wanted a pair of earrings in the shape of a jockey hat.

The shop was also stocked full of Royal Ascot trinkets: everything from mugs and lighters to teddies and pens.

There was a small selection of books, including Jenny Pitman titles, and a kiddies' corner with pencil cases, writing sets, bags and T-shirts all on a horsy theme. Oh, and hobby horses for £20.

For £2.50 you could buy a Royal Ascot milk chocolate bar or be daring and opt for milk chocolate with strawberry pieces.

Keen to try? Well the Ascot shop will be open for business in York next year. Don't say you haven't been warned.

:: Royal meeting fact file

Last year, Royal Ascot broke entrance records when 306,080 attended during the five-day meeting. When it moves to York next year, it hopes to attract 50,000 each day.

Thursday is traditionally Ladies' Day - the day to produce your best outfit. However the opening day, Tuesday, sometimes attracts the biggest crowds as the quality of racing is unbeatable. Wednesday is the biggest day for betting with competitive handicaps. Friday is marginally less busy and has become the most popular day for the young.

To gain entry to the hallowed Royal Enclosure - where divorcees were once barred - race-goers must be recommended by someone who is already on the list. In the 1920s, women were still forbidden to smoke in the Royal Enclosure. Tradition holds that as soon as the reigning monarch finishes eating lunch in the Royal Box, everyone else must stop. Although an estimated £100 million is gambled each year, there are no bookies in the Royal Enclosure.

It was Queen Anne who first saw the potential for a racecourse at Ascot, then called East Cote. While out riding in 1711, she came upon an area of open heath, not far from Windsor Castle, that looked an ideal place for "horses to gallop at full stretch." The first race meeting at Ascot was on Saturday 11 August 1711.

The precise origin of the Royal meeting is unclear, but the first four-day meeting took place in 1768. Arguably, the meeting as we know it today started to take shape with the introduction of the Gold Cup in 1807. It was around the time of the first running of the Gold Cup that the roots of today's traditional Royal Enclosure dress code emerged: morning suits for men and formal clothes and hats for women.

In 1955, the rules of divorce were relaxed and divorcees were able to enter the Royal Enclosure. However, a redevelopment of the enclosure shortly before had added the new Queen's Lawn where entrance was by invitation only and the Court rules governing divorce still applied.

These days everyone is welcome. On some days there are six times as many people in the public enclosures as in the Royal Enclosure. The Royal Enclosure itself is restricted only insofar as people must have applied in advance and new applicants must be sponsored by existing Royal Enclosure badge holders who have attended the Royal Meeting at least four times.

Racegoers at Royal Ascot 2004 will consume 150,000 bottles of champagne, 100,000 bottles of wine, 14,000 bottles of Pimms, 3.4 tonnes of beef, 3.5 tonnes of fresh salmon, 3.2 tonnes of smoked salmon, 7,500 lobsters, 5.0 tonnes of strawberries, 1,650 gallons of cream, 375 tonnes of ice and 2,075 kegs of beer in 115 bars.

Source: Ascot Racecourse

Updated: 09:23 Thursday, June 17, 2004