Tweed is popular attire among racegoers, particularly during Cheltenham Festival, which kicks off tomorrow (Tuesday 15 March). But did you ever think you would see a horse dressed in a three-piece suit?
To celebrate the start of the four-day showcase at the Gloucestershire racecourse, a bespoke Harris Tweed equine masterpiece was created — the first of its kind in the world.
Modelled by the Brendan Powell-trained veteran Morestead, the pièce de résistance was unveiled by 20-time champion jockey AP McCoy — who was also kitted out in tweed for the occasion.
“I have many fond memories of racing at the Festival among the sea of tweed-wearing racegoers,” remarked AP. “I’ll be watching from the side-lines for the first time this year and rather than strapping on my jockey silks, I’ll be joining the punters and hopefully tipping a few winners.”
Bookmaker William Hill commissioned the equine outfit, which also includes a white shirt, tie and flat cap.
Former Alexander McQueen apprentice, Emma Sandham-King, was tasked with creating the custom-made suit. It took four weeks to create and comprises 18 metres of Harris Tweed — 10 times as much fabric as an equivalent human outfit.
“Creating the world’s first tweed suit for a horse has been one of the biggest challenges that I have faced in my career as a designer,” said Emma. “Some models can be real divas, but Morestead was calm and a pleasure to work with. Tweed is undergoing a massive revival and this year’s Cheltenham Festival we expect to see the most tweed worn since the 1960s.”
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Statistics have revealed that the most popular tweed item among male racegoers at the Festival was a tweed jacket with one in three men — that’s 31% — selecting it as their attire. Among the female racing fans, 28% of ladies opted for a tweed coat when at Prestbury Park.
So as if we didn’t already know, the stats show it’s not about the fascinators and stilettos when it comes to jump racing — it’s all about the tweed.