IT’S the most glamorous – and chaotic – day of the Grand National, where race-goers are dressed to the nines and determined to make the most of it.
Over the years, Ladies Day has produced some eye-popping moments as the booze and merriment flows freely, but the real action often happens behind the scenes… and sometimes in a portaloo.
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Now, a regular at the famous day for 20 years, who has worked both in the owners and trainers tent and as a punter, reveals to The Sun her most astonishing tales – including the brazen drug-fuelled antics of VIP guests and jaw-dropping hook-ups.
And sometimes, as she explains below, the drama doesn’t even stop once the day has come to an end, especially for one loved-up pal who had a sneaky tryst that led to a huge surprise.
AS soon as Christmas is over, me and my friends start thinking about Ladies Day – it’s the highlight of the calendar.
I don’t care whether it rains or shines – my heels will be on whether they’re going to be stuck in the mud or not, and I’ll wear my dress even if it’s raining cats and dogs. That’s what umbrellas are for.
The atmosphere is incredible, the punters are super-friendly and it’s the best party imaginable.
And when we leave after the last race we’ll go into town and party some more. Even if you’re not at the races, everyone gets into the spirit.
While men are welcome, it’s definitely a girls’ trip and no expense is spared. I get a custom-made dress at a cost of around £300 as I don’t want to be wearing the same as anyone else.
Then there are the other costs. I get botox and fillers a couple of weeks before, a fake tan and my nails done three days ahead.
In total the whole day out costs nearly £2,000 but it’s worth it, even if you end up looking like you’ve been dragged through a hedge at the end of the afternoon.
And over the years, both working as staff and visiting with the girls, I’ve come across some truly scandalous scenes that really could only happen at Ladies Day.
Sex in the toilets
Let’s be clear: I’ve never had sex in the toilets. But I know a lot of people do.
Especially one friend of a friend, who had a knee trembler with a man she’d met on Ladies Day four years ago that will live long in the memory.
She was so tipsy she didn’t even ask his name. They met in the bar, started flirting and off they went.
Six weeks later she realised she was pregnant and had no idea how to contact him.
She kept the baby and called him Edward after one of the horses, Rowland Ward, that had won a race on the day.
That’s my favourite ever Ladies Day story – and it will be hard to top!
Cocaine WAGs
No doubt, a lot of people are doing drugs.
I’ve seen cocaine being smuggled in pants or bras – and dealers are wise to the act, offering special “Aintree” offers.
When anyone runs out, it doesn’t matter as there are loads of dealers who bag a ticket, so punters can just text them and arrange to meet by a bar and get some more. The place is awash with the white stuff.
I once witnessed a WAG, who shall remain nameless, who was pregnant coming out of the toilets with powder round her nose and discreetly gestured that she might want to check in the mirror.
Jockeys flashing the cash
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I worked at the race meeting for two years in my 20s, and that was fantastic.
I was in the owners and trainers tent, which is silver service and very posh.
I’d listen to all the conversations and bet on the horses if I ever heard a good tip – which I frequently did.
I’ve never had sex in the toilets…but I know a lot of people do
The wages were terrible but the cash tips were fantastic. I once ended up serving the winner of the actual Grand National.
He had his kids with him who didn’t want the fancy food we were serving, so he gave me £200 just to go and get them crisps and chocolate.
I came back with the change and he just waved me away and told me to keep it as he was so flushed with his success.
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When I was there, we’d deliberately unbutton our uniforms to flash a bit of cleavage and get more tips.
The owners and trainers were generally middle-aged men and older so they were susceptible to a bit of boob showing and a big smile.
It wasn’t unusual to earn hundreds in tips, so it was well worth the long hours – and ogling!
They would get very drunk if they were celebrating a win and I suspected some of them were on drugs… mostly due to the unusually high number of trips to the toilets I witnessed.
Cruising for a boozing
With the girls, we meet for brunch and will carry on drinking in the taxi, so I’m often drunk before the first race even starts!
But I’m far from the only one. It’s absolute carnage.
I love the fact we all spend money on looking perfect and within hours we look as though we’ve been dragged through the hedge backwards, with make-up smeared over our faces.
I’ve been known to have a tactical chunder to prolong my drinking time – and judging by the state of the toilets by about 3pm I’m not the only one
The spanx come off at about 2pm too, they’re far too uncomfortable!
I carry a pair of flip flops in my bag for when I’m at the ‘falling off my heels’ stage of inebriation.
I have been known to have a tactical chunder to prolong my drinking time – and judging by the state of the toilets by about 3pm I’m not the only one.
Facts about the Grand National
EVERY year the Grand National sees millions of racing fans tune in to soak up the action.
- The first Grand National took place in 1839, with a horse named Lottery winning the race.
- Obstacles like Becher’s Brook, The Chair, and the Canal Turn are renowned for their difficulty and have become iconic in the racing world.
- Red Rum is celebrated for winning the Grand National three times (1973, 1974, 1977) and finishing second twice (1975, 1976).
- In 1977, Charlotte Brew became the first woman to ride in the Grand National, breaking gender barriers in the sport.
- Rachael Blackmore made history in 2021 as the first female jockey to win the Grand National, riding Minella Times to victory.
- An estimated 500 to 600million viewers watch the race worldwide.
- The race covers about 4 miles and 2½ furlongs, with horses jumping 30 fences over two laps.
Horses and courses
While I don’t ever want to see or hear about a horse dying, animal rights protestors annoy me.
I feel they don’t realise quite how incredibly well these horses are treated – they’re pampered to within an inch of their lives.
And when I worked in the owners and trainers tent, I realised how incredibly fond of their horses they are. They speak about them like treasured children.
I firmly believe that if a horse doesn’t want to race you can’t force it to.
I have been at races where both jockeys and horses have been badly injured. It sounds brutal but it doesn’t ruin the day.
The bottom line is that Ladies Day is the best party you could ever hope to attend.
You bump into loads of old friends, wake up with a stonking hangover, but it’s worth every penny.
Just be sure to avoid the portaloos!
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