Hooligans at Royal Ascot

A drunken brawl, a celebrity call girl and tattooed men (and women)... whatever happened to a genteel day out at Ascot?

For 300 years, it has been the highlight of the summer calendar for the well-off and well-connected.

But these days, it seems, the enclosures and stands of Royal Ascot are becoming increasingly popular with a much less distinguished breed of racegoer.

Source: Daily Mail

What does this say about British society?

What is the poshest event you have been to?

Vocabulary:

a b____ - a particular type of animal eg dog, in some cases a type of person

k_______ (adj) - given the title "sir"

vice (n) - illegal and immoral activity, usually connected to sex

a g___ - a long woman's dress worn at formal occasions

f___ t__ - a substance that you put on your skin to make it appear that you have been in the sun

a p____ - a danger / p_______ (adj)

a b____  = a f_____ - a noisy, uncontrolled fight

to s____ - to push forcefully

a s_____ - a place where horses are kept

to e__ sb __ - to strongly encourage sb to do sth that might not be a very good idea

a c___ girl - a female prostitute who arranges meetings over the phone

to f____ - to intentionally not obey a rule or a custom

the h________ - the best or most exciting part of sth

to f___ - to run away because of danger or fear / f___ (past, past part)

to s____ - to hit / s_____ (past, past part)

bare flesh -

to point out -

over-run (adj) -

over-done -

to lower the tone -

restful (adj) -

blatant (adj) -

disregard -

a top hat -

a band stand -

to shun -

a punch -

the home straight -

ladylike -

unsightly (adj) -

to be worse for wear -

tawdry (adj) -

to break out (a fight) -

well-off (adj) -

to get out of the way -

to wield (a weapon) -

nasty (adj)

barely (adv) -

a glance -

to hand sth over -

to end up doing sth -

bawdy (adj) -

a lawn -

the turf -

an enclosure -

a racegoer -



Grammar point:

"whatever happened to a genteel day out at Ascot?"

When you haven't seen sb or sth for a long time, you wonder about them.


Whatever happened to that polite, well-behaved boy? Her son is growing into a monster.

Whatever happened to the Lada car? I never see any of them on the road now.

Whatever happened to Rosa - the fat one that won "Operación Trionfo"?


Read this previous post on Royal Ascot Dress Code.