Ascot
The most glamorous week in the racing calendar Royal Ascot opened on a sombre note on Tuesday with a minute’s silence for victims of the London tower block fire and terror attacks in Britain.
The estimated 45,000 crowd paid their respects after Queen Elizabeth II had come down the track in a carriage leading the traditional Royal Procession.
Security was heightened as a result of the terror outrages with sniffer dogs at the approaches to the racecourse and armed police on hand as they have been at other recent major British sporting events.
The minute’s silence honoured the memories of the estimated 79 people to have perished in the tower block fire in west London last week and the scores killed in attacks in Manchester and London.
Ascot Racecourse has made a donation of 100,000 pounds ($127,000; Dh468,838) to The British Red Cross UK Solidarity and London Fire Relief Funds.
There will also be collections at the exits on all five days of racing for spectators to contribute.
Ascot are following the example of British tennis star Andy Murray who has according to Tuesday’s edition of ‘The Times’ pledged any prize money he wins at the Queen’s tournament this week to the victims’ appeal.
“We have all been deeply saddened by recent tragic events around the country,” said Johnny Weatherby, chairman of Ascot Racecourse.
