Dress code dropped at Jockey Club racecourses including Aintree and Cheltenham

FORMAL dress codes are being dropped with immediate effect at all 15 racecourses owned by the Jockey Club, including Aintree and Cheltenham.

The move is part of a drive to make horse racing more "accessible and inclusive".

Spectators will be encouraged to dress as they feel "most comfortable and confident".

Replica sports shirts or "offensive" clothing of any kind will still not be allowed.

The changes will apply to a total of 342 fixtures, including the Grand National meeting.

The Queen Elizabeth II Stand at Epsom on Derby Day will continue to require either morning dress, including top hats for men, or formal daywear on Derby Day.

Royal Ascot is not covered by the Jockey Club, and there have been no changes announced to its traditional dress code.

'Enforcing a dress code seems rather outdated'

The debate over dress codes on British racecourses resurfaced last year when two racegoers were initially refused entry to Sandown's most expensive enclosure in April because