The QIPCO King George Diamond Racing Weekend is Ascot’s midsummer showpiece, celebrating the best of British summertime as one of the most prestigious race meetings outside of the Royal Meeting. Combining world-class Flat racing with a quintessential English garden party experience, it is an unmissable event steeped in history and synonymous with style. Here, The Wine Tipster shares his tips for enjoying the weekend at home with food, drink and ideas to celebrate safely. 

Races

An enhanced 17 races will take place at Ascot for the weekend, with a nine-race card on the Saturday and eight races on the Sunday. The pinnacle of the weekend’s races  is Saturday’s 03:35 PM The King George VI And Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes (Class 1) (Group 1) 3+ with prize money totalling £400,000 and being run over one mile about four furlongs. The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes was first run almost 70 years ago in 1951, in tribute to Her Majesty the Queen’s parents, and has long been recognised as Europe’s premier, mid-season, middle distance race for all age groups. Since then has had three two-time winners in Dahlia, Swain and most recently Enable, whilst Lester Piggott and Sir Michael Stoute hold the positions of the race’s winning-most jockey and trainer with 7 and 6 wins respectively.

For a full list of the weekend’s races, visit the Ascot and the Unibet websites.

This year, much loved defending champion, Enable, is welcomed back to the Ascot turf as she goes in search of a record third win in The King George VI And Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes.

Where to Watch

The weekend will be broadcast live on ITV & Sky Sports Racing. ITV will broadcast five races on the Saturday on ITV1, including the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes, and four races on the Sunday on ITV4. Sky Sports Racing will show every race of the weekend live.

Throughout the weekend, The Wine Tipster will be on Social Media connecting with audiences and commenting on the live action. Follow him here.

What to Drink

The Ascot Wine Club is Ascot’s new online wine shop, in partnership with Official Wine Supplier, Hallgarten & Novum Wines, and Official Champagne, Moët & Chandon. They are stocked with a range of bottles for every budget to order online in time for the weekend’s races. To help celebrate this great weekend of racing, The Ascot Wine Club are delighted to offer the chance to win a Methuselah (6litres!) of the fabulous Whispering Angel Rosé. This is a wonderful Rosé, and all you have to do to be in with a chance is place an order from The Ascot Wine Club before 2nd August 2020 and you’ll be entered into the prize draw. For more information on this great opportunity, read here. 

Moët & Chandon are the official partner of Ascot and the perfect taste of luxury to celebrate some wins. The QIPCO King George Diamond Racing Weekend is introducing a Golden Ticket Prize Draw for 2020 in association with the iconic Champagne House. To be in with a chance of winning hospitality at Ascot for up to six people, download a ticket and see if it turns gold at 17:43 on Saturday 25th July 2020 (to celebrate the year Maison Moët was founded). Apply here and read T&Cs here.

Why not make yourself a Harrogate Fruit Cup, brought to you by Harrogate Water – Official Water of Ascot. This non-alcoholic fruit cup is perfect for sipping at home during the weekend, and kids will be able to enjoy it too! You’ll need: Harrogate Spring Water, 1 tsp sugar free lemon syrup, 1/2 Teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar, 6 strawberries, 8 raspberries, mint leaves, lemon and orange slices – recipe here.

What to Eat

Test your knowledge of King George winners in this 10-1 quiz. The categories are as follows:

Enable – Queen of the Turf – is one of the greatest horses ever to have graced the turf. The only European-based filly or mare to have earned over £10m in prize money, she has beaten many of the best horses in training on some of the biggest stages in world racing, compiling one of the most decorated CVs in the sport’s history. For fans looking to support this amazing horse or for activities to do over the weekend, check out the Enable Fan Activity Pack which includes bunting, wordsearches and games, flags to wave, and a quiz to do with the family!

Connect with The Wine Tipster on Social Media to share how you are celebrating the weekend, and however you choose to enjoy The QIPCO King George Diamond Racing Weekend, here’s to some wins and some good memories! Cheers! 

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L’Academie du Champagne, known in Great Britain as The Champagne Academy is, this year, celebrating its 60^th anniversary. It was established in 1956 to recognise the UK and Ireland as key markets, and to encourage the appreciation of Grand Marque Champagnes through the education of younger members of the wine trades of the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. Their prime objective is to educate members of the trade who would not otherwise be able to study Champagne in such depth and participate in their prestigious week long course in June.

The organisation is a unique gathering of producers (the Houses) from a wine-producing region, co-operating in a manner that puts Grande Marque Champagnes and the region first, before the interests of individual Houses. The 16 houses are; Veuve Clicquot, Ruinart, Pommery, Pol Roger, Perrier- Jouët, Moët & Chandon, Laurent-Perrier, Louis Roederer, Krug, Charles Heidseck, G.H.Mumm, Heidseck Monopole, Bollinger, Tattinger, Piper-Heidseck and Lanson.

Phillip Amps of Amps Fine Wines, attended the course in 1996 and is now Chairman of the Champagne Academy. He says, “The Champagne Academy is a unique collaboration between the Houses – they really do put aside the competition between each other to promote Champagne and the region”.

The course provides a packed week in the region, a unique in-depth and Champagne education experience. It includes time in the classroom as well as visits to all the Houses. As important as what the candidates learn, is the opportunity to build relationships with key industry leaders in Champagne.

During the week, participants sit daily tests and a final exam, on completion of which, candidates are awarded the prestigious Champagne Academy Diploma and invited to join The Champagne Academy which now has in excess of 600 members.

This all adds up to a unique and privileged experience which most people, even in the wine trade, can only dream of. Talk to any Champagne Academy member and they cannot speak highly enough of their once in a life time experiences on the course.

For more information, including the diary of previous participants, please visit – https://champagneacademy.co.uk/

Contact Val Simpson (champagneacademy@yahoo.co.uk)
Twitter: @ChampagneAcad
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Champagne-Academy/