Fair ladies put on the style at Newmarket's July Course

Top class racing, fashion and sweltering sunshine all combined to make Thursday’s Ladies’ Day at Newmarket’s July Course, a runaway winner.

Thousands of racegoers put on the style in a bid to win an array of mouthwatering prizes on offer for the winners of the best dressed awards sponsored by The Spa at Bedford Lodge and partnered by the Journal’s sister magazine Velvet.

More than 1,200 entrants were whittled down to a final 10,with Anna Campbell, visiting from New Zealand called the winner and whose prize package included a holiday to Dubai.

Kristie Raymond, a make-up artist from Newmarket kept the home team happy by finishing third, improving on her top ten finish last year. “My dress was only £19. I went through so many dresses before I decided, then ended up picking the cheapest one. It just goes to show that it really isn’t about the price tag,” she said.

The best dressed theme continued throughout the three days of the festival and on Saturday Louise Wong and Nick Linsey, of Red Lodge, took third place in the best dressed couple competition – of which they are previous winners –which was judged by Patrick Grant, Savile Row tailor and star of the BBC’s Great British Sewing Bee. “This is actually the dress I’m going to wear when we have our register wedding,” said Louise.

Sir Henry Cecil, the late, great Newmarket trainer was remembered in the race bearing his name sponsored by Newmarket solicitors Edmondson Hall. And appropriately the listed contest was won by a local trainer and jockey when Naval Intelligence sprang something of a surprise for Jane Chapple-Hyam and John Egan.