The First Race Day Of Royal Turf Club April Horse Racing Festival 

Above all the Royal Turf Club races offers a fun, festive, people-watcher’s paradise, rife with edge-of-the-seat thrills, catwalk fashion, music from some of the country’s most popular bands, and the chance to dress up and wear a characterful hat and get picked for one of the best dressed categories with their incredible prizes, including an absolutely exquisite pendant for the best dressed lady (on the 16th of April) from Colombo’s much lauded, master jewellery house, Sifani Jewellers. 

Apart from the thrill of the track the crowds always enjoy watching the horses in the Parade Ring prancing around like fashion models or film stars; this is the time to choose their horse to follow, looking out for those who appear fit, those who are walking well with a certain presence—precocious without being too highly strung—and those who appear relaxed. The horses and their jockeys are always here minutes before they are due to race. 

Horse racing and fashion have a traditional and historic relationship with racegoers fashion taking centre stage! Some of my favourite looks were : 

Deepthi 

Purni 

Mrs. Brah 

Nishani 

Suranji 

Jeff 

Dhiraj 

Mr. Brah 

Ranjith 

Tanuj 

By Minoli Ratnayake 
Photographs by Kithsiri de Mel