Pregnant Zara Tindall stunned in a striking forest green fascinator complete with a velvet red rose as she joined in with the Cheltenham Festival celebrations from home today.
The 39-year-old, who is usually a regular face at the event with her husband Mike Tindall, appeared in good spirits as she posed in a £465 Juliette Botterill floral cocktail hat while in the garden of their home in Gloucester for Ladies’ Day.
The mother-of-two kept her baby bump under wraps by posing for shots from the shoulders-up while wearing a green jacket, although she is believed to be around seven months pregnant.
Zara was just one of this year’s racing fans pulling out all the fashion stops to recreate the charm of Ladies’ Day from the comfort of their own homes.
The thousands of revellers who flocked to the event in 2020 – which concluded 10 days before England went into its first national lockdown – swapped the Gloucestershire racecourse for kitchens, bedrooms and front gardens.
Celebrating Day Two of the annual event online, virtual racegoers from across the country posted snaps to their social media accounts, showcasing them dressed in all their finery.
Would-be Ladies Day attendees were eager to swap cosy slippers and lockdown loungewear for precarious heels, statement hats and dramatic dresses – while also enjoying a glass of champagne or even a pint of Guinness for St Patrick’s Day.
Pregnant Zara Tindall (pictured) stunned in a striking forest green fascinator complete with a velvet red rose as she joined in with the Cheltenham Festival celebrations from home today
ITV’s horse racing presenter Francesca Cumani (pictured) dressed to impress in a vibrant blue and red coat paired with a matching crimson headband
They might not be able to attend in person, but that hasn’t stopped Cheltenham Festival fans (pictured) from pulling out all the fashion stops to recreate the charm of Ladies’ Day from the comfort of their own homes
Celebrating Day Two of the annual event online, virtual racegoers from across the country posted snaps to their social media accounts, showcasing them dressed in all their finery (pictured)
Some opted for colourful floral ensembles (pictured right) as they marked the beginning of spring. Pictured left: A fan shares a selfie to mark Ladies’ Day
Many virtual racegoers went all out with their glamour ensembles today, despite being unable to attend the four-day event.
Taking selfies in bathrooms, kitchens and bedrooms, the would-be attendees showed off their finest outfits online – which included feathered hats and stylish coats.
Some opted for colourful floral ensembles as they marked the beginning of spring, while others donned stylish green gowns with matching headpieces as they also celebrated St Patrick’s Day.
Last year’s Cheltenham Festival was the last major UK sporting event to be staged before the UK went into lockdown, and attracted controversy over claims it acted as a super-spreader of the virus.
Sports presenter Amy Christophers yesterday told how Cheltenham is normally her favourite week of the year. Today, she included a pint of Guinness in her snap to mark St Patrick’s Day and is sharing her tips throughout the day
Other virtual racegoers donned stylish green gowns with matching headpieces (pictured) as they also celebrated St Patrick’s Day
Taking selfies in bathrooms, kitchens and bedrooms, the would-be attendees showed off their finest outfits online – which included feathered hats and stylish coats (pictured)
The following month a former government chief scientific adviser claimed the four-day event, attended by 150,000 people, could have helped to ‘accelerate the spread’ of Covid-19.
However Cheltenham Racecourse’s medical director said it was not possible to know how – and where – people had contracted the virus.
For those who are allowed inside the racecourse today, the town is out of bounds. Meanwhile the grounds have separate areas for British and Irish jockeys, trainers and horses, with mingling forbidden and alcohol banned.
The thousands of revellers who flocked to the event in 2020 – which concluded 10 days before England went into its first national lockdown – swapped the Gloucestershire racecourse for living rooms (pictured), bedrooms and front gardens
Fans of the four-day racing festival quickly got into the spirit, even donning fascinators while working (pictured)
Would-be Ladies Day attendees were eager to swap cosy slippers and lockdown loungewear for precarious heels, statement hats and dramatic dresses – while also enjoying a glass of champagne (pictured) or even a pint of Guinness
Yesterday, Jockey Rachael Blackmore made history at Cheltenham during the opening day as she became the first woman to win the Champion Hurdle.
The daughter of a dairy farmer and a teacher, the jockey, 31, from Killenuale in County Tipperary, was not reared in a racing family but has been competing professionally in horse racing since 2015.
Rachael, who has been described as a ‘reluctant heroine’, couldn’t hide her delight as she became the first female jockey to win the Unibet Champion Hurdle as she guided Honeysuckle to a brilliant victory at Cheltenham.
She produced the heavily-backed 11-10 favourite to lead between the final two flights and she bounded up the hill to go on and win in impressive fashion, bagging the £180,000 prize.