GUEST BLOG by Liz Kelly: The Cheltenham Festival 2021
Glaze & Gordon is delighted to welcome record breaking jockey, Liz Kelly, as the guest editor for today's journal post.
Liz is the first woman to ride a Grade One winner over jumps in Britain on Tea For Two and the first woman to ride in the Cheltenham Gold Cup for 33 years. She retired last year to start a family with her husband Ed and now works as a racing pundit on Racing TV, BBC Radio and Talk Sport.
Over to Liz...
Hi there! I’m really excited to be teaming up with Glaze and Gordon to bring you my thoughts on the Cheltenham Festival this year. I’ve been really lucky to attend the Festival many times in the past and although it’s been a difficult year, I still think that we can celebrate all that is wonderful about a day at the races. Glaze and Gordon is a brand that I adore as it epitomises everything that is glorious about a life in the countryside. Being a Devon girl myself, Glaze and Gordon really shows why country living can be fun and exciting and I look forward to sharing some of my favourite pieces from them with you.
Rewind a year and can you remember exactly where you were this time last year? I can - I was preparing for what was going to be my last Cheltenham Festival as a professional jockey. Happily I picked out my last outfit of the week and like many other lovely ladies all over the country, I’d had it planned for several weeks! Fast forward 12 months and one baby boy (my first, Hugo Philip) and it’s Gold Cup Day 2021 and the idea of getting all decked out for a day at the races seems rather overwhelming, not to mention a whole day wearing high heels - how did we manage that?
Those who’ve tuned in to Cheltenham Festival this week have enjoyed some top class racing; Shishkin, Monkfish and Put the Kettle on all winning impressively in the championship races. But the fairytale of the week so far was the wonderfully talented Rachael Blackmore aboard the gorgeous mare Honeysuckle win the Champion Hurdle. All those watching witnessed history being made as Rachael became the first female jockey to win the prestigious race. If you missed it however you could have tuned in to see her then win 4, yes FOUR, more races this week at the festival. Rachael has sparkled at Prestbury Park and I can only imagine the reception she would have received had crowds been present to welcome her back into the winners enclosure. Having shared a weighing room on many occasions with Rachael, I was absolutely delighted for her. She’s honestly the loveliest person and what’s she achieved this week has been astonishing.
The spring sunshine, coupled with seeing those beautiful equine athletes parading around Cheltenham racecourse has made me wonder when I can dust the cobwebs off my wardrobe and the answer is TODAY! I can brush the mothballs from my springtime outfits and feathery fascinators, pop open a bottle of bubbly and sit down to enjoy some top class racing from the comfort of my own squishy sofa, meaning I can ditch the heels when they get too painful too!
I have put together a selection of outfits and have picked out some of my favourite pieces from Glaze and Gordon which I feel would be perfect for a day at the races. I think that it’s important to not only look glamorous and elegant but of course it’s an absolute necessity to be warm and comfortable for a long day on a windy and cold racecourse!
Outfit 1:
Is there anything better than a ruffled white shirt with a gorgeous blazer? I picked out the Beauchamp Blazer with a lovely sporting hares print as the perfect spring time jacket. I’ve paired this with a pair of Fairfax and Favour Regina boots as they are great to keep you extra warm.
Outfit 2:
I’m obsessed with this gorgeous Annabel Brocks Denver cape which is really stylish and gives a beautiful silhouette but can easily hide lots of warm layers but is warm enough in its own right as it’s made with Cashmere and Lambswool . I’ve matched it with a feathered fedora hat and the quirky needlepoint belt from Smathers and Branson is a really unique accessory and a great talking point.
Outfit 3:
I’m completely head over heels for these beautiful embroidered velvet loafers and I wanted to make them to the standout piece so I’ve matched them with a classic but understated velvet coat from Guinea. The black Reiss leather skirt and white embroidered Margarita skirt complement the outfit without stealing the show.
Items pictured that are available at Glaze & Gordon:
Sporting Hares Beauchamp Blazer in Blue
