WARWICK Racecourse will be joining in with the Ascot spirit at Saturday's race meeting with their Ladies Evening hoping to prompt local racegoers to don their hats and enjoy an evening of entertainment on and off the track.

Racecourse manager Victoria Parris said: "I hope that the television coverage of Royal Ascot will inspire people to dress up and come and enjoy the evening with us.

"With the added incentive of top prizes for the most stylishly dressed lady, and a celebrity judge in Sean Gleeson of television soap Doctors, we are sure that there will be plenty in the running for the fashion prize.

With a live Jazz Quartet, numerous trade stands and champagne on ice, Warwick officials are looking forward to a busy evening when all will be welcome.

The first race is due to start at 6.45pm. Main enclosure admission is £15 with accompanied children under the age of 16 admitted free.

Stratford, meanwhile, is gearing up for its third Family Day on Sunday, July 11 when the main sponsor is the Birming-ham Evening Mail.

Gates will open at 11am and the first of seven National Hunt races will get under way three hours later.

Free entertainment and family attractions are again the centrepiece of the day with the national festival Circus, fairground stalls, a falconry display, face painters and much more in the centre Course.

There will be a shuttle bus ferrying racegoers from the town's station on an afternoon of tremendous fun both on and off the course.