Ascot Retro Diary

Continuing our celebrations for the best month ever in ECOM’s history, we went to Ascot for what proved to be a (very) wet yet sensational day enjoyed by all. Let’s take a look back at some of the events of the day, right from the beginning…

8.43am -- The office starts to fill with the guys wearing their suits, and the ladies mostly opting to get dressed at work. This did not bode well, since we had to leave at 10am…

9.39am -- The party moves outside. After warming up with a great hip-hop selection on Spotify, the coach arrives and we move outside for the “before alcohol” pictures, when everyone is still smiling and can stand up straight.

9.45am – Quick moment of panic – the bus driver goes missing. There is initial worry after it was revealed the driver didn’t think we were leaving until 10.30am. The lads are sent out to local cafes in search of said driver.

9.49am – Bus driver shows up. Phew. Just nipped to the little boy’s room…

10.01am – The bus gets going! Into the Hammersmith traffic…the bus is roughly ¾ full as some of the team are going straight there. Talk of bets and tips is bounced around. Only later would we discover how inaccurate some of these tips were to be…

10.07am – We are handed an envelope, containing: a pass to the restaurant, grandstand admission, voucher for free race guide and…£20 to bet with! Result!

10.34am – Chat on the bus quickly circulates back to betting...including some of the more “dedicated” looking up odds on our iPhone’s...

10:56am – As we near Ascot, we start seeing lots of scarecrows in the local’s front lawns. I wasn’t entirely sure what this was about but apparently the locals do it every year to raise money for charity, with the aim that race goers stuck in traffic will be amused by the figures and donate money. It certainly kept us entertained! I felt the Alan Sugar mannequin with “You’re Attired!” was the favourite, but chime in with pictures if you have any more!

11:09am – Even closer to Ascot we encounter a horse drawn carriage full of men in elaborate top hats and tails and ladies in their decorative hats. This is when it hit us we were at Ascot!

11:23am – Arrive at Ascot. Step off the coach and it begins to rain...

I feel now is a good time to explain some of the competitions we had going through the day. First off we ran a photo competition. See details below:

Picture of the Queen = 20 points

Picture of you with a jockey = 10 points

Picture of you with a celeb = 10 points

Picture of a celeb = 5 points

Picture of a winning horse = 5 points

Picture of jockey or dress in ECOM business card/website blue = 2 points

Picture of a horse= 1 point

I can reveal that the winners were Sinead (Accounts) and Olivia (PM/IA), due in part to their strategic detour to the Royal enclosure where they capitalized on the 20 point picture of the Queen which accounted for most of their points! For their troubles, they received a case of champagne, to help relive the experience!

The second competition reveals ECOM’s softer side. The biggest bet of the day (with accompanying bet slip) would be doubled by ECOM and donated to a charity of the winners choice. Vincent took this one home with a massive £153 on the last race to snatch victory from Tim, who held the biggest bet prior with £135. Massive congratulations and good betting! The money will be donated to WWF Save The Tiger.

The third was a little less merit-oriented….most orange! Inspired by the Jersey Shore-like tanning spree the girls (and some guys…no names mentioned…) went on, it only seemed fair to award the effort they went to. Kelly (Client Services) took home the prize with a slightly deeper than normal shade of orange to leave the competition in the dark. (Edit: It was later revealed Kelly won because her dress was orange…whoops).

11:29am – The first timers were awestruck at the sheer size of the grandstand as those who had been before headed straight to the bar! We were greeted with a champagne reception which certainly marked the occasion. The Sandringham restaurant where we were sat was luxurious, large and extravagant.

11:35am – Everyone settled in and mingled, as ECOM welcomed some new faces, it was good to get them on a more social level and to really become part of the ECOM team. As such, the customary photos began, a whole selection of which can be viewed at our Twitter stream.

12:31pm – The 4 course meal had started! First up was the starter – as described from the website:

Starter
Involtini of Lightly Smoked Speck Ham, Peppadew, Artichoke, Grelot Onions
Courgette Ribbons, Beetroot and Balsamic Reduction

Which proved a hit with everyone. The champagne continued to flow, as did the fine wine which some of the more mature members definitely appreciated.

12:57pm – The main course. Once again, the website description does it more justice than I could:

Main Course
Warm Ballotine of Corn-fed Chicken, Slow-roasted Tomato, Shiitake and Cep Mushrooms
Cracked Wheat, Summer Pea and Soy Bean Salad
Poached English Asparagus with a Truffle and Rocket Dressing

Which again was magnificent. The photos continued as the girls in particular found as many excuses as possible to show off their dresses!

1:38pm – Dessert, you know the drill:

Dessert
Burnt Orange and Vanilla Tart
Chocolate Turritella and Wild Strawberry Dressing

However what the menu failed to mention was the chocolate token denoting the 300^th year of Ascot – a classy touch for a big occasion! Some people’s dessert was cut short by the Royal Procession (where Sinead and Olivia picked up all those points). The anxiousness for the first race for building with every passing second...

2:15pm – The mad rush to the betting facilities started. As did the questions from the non-betting folk among us of “What does 16/1 mean?”, “How much will I get back if I win?” and “What does each way mean?”

2:30pm – The first race began. Some of us opted to watch from the security and dryness from the restaurant porch whilst the more adventurous went for the grandstand. We were perfectly situated to see the finish line, and the countless TV’s helped clear up any confusion that arose!

2:41pm – 16/1 Samitar comes in first much to the delight of Katie (Creative) and Jack (Creative) who were some of the early winners. Soon after, all betting questions are directed their way for horses in the next race! Steve’s optimism proves short-lived...

2:53pm – The bar staff start to tire of topping up champagne, and instead just begin leaving whole bottles on the tables. A win-win situation.

2:54pm – With the 3.05 looming, the betting rush began again. The favourite, Nathaniel, was tipped by many and was a favourite amongst the ECOM betters. Some of the more risk averse members decided to pocket the betting money ECOM gave us...which would turn out to be a great decision for the majority of people!

3:20pm – Race favourite Nathaniel (11/4) romps to victory to the delight of everyone (apart from the bookies). Outsiders Fiorente and Alexander Pope came 2^nd and 3^rd respectively to tease the gambling folk but certainly helped a few people with the each way bet.

3:28pm – Sinead and Olivia return, slightly damp but smiling after another photo spree.

3:31pm – Most of the ECOM lads regroup and try to figure out a “sure-fire” betting strategy moving forward, frustrated by their lack of success to this point.

3.32pm – Numerous girls reveal their “My Nan/Mum/Dad told me to bet on xxx horse” strategy.

3.33pm – Anticipation is rife for the biggest race of the day, the 3.45 Coronation Stakes. No clear favourite here so it really becomes a guessing game.

3.59pm – 8/1 Immortal Verse wins to make a few of the ECOM lot happy, followed by Nova Hawk (9/2) and Barefoot Lady (16/1). A really exciting race that went right down to the wire and lived up to the billing. Vincent with a massive £114 on this race!

4:02pm – Afternoon tea! And some welcome food for some of the people that “took advantage” of the free bar. A mix of tea and coffee, scones and jam, cucumber and salmon sandwiches were all part of the tea which was very Ritz-like. Just even more fabulous food from the restaurant!

4.22pm – Everyone frantically looks at the race guide in search of a name they like the look of before betting...

4:33pm – The Wolferton Handicap. 12/1 Beachfire took home the honours in another close race which saw anyone with odds better than 10/1 finish at the back end of the pack, and some ECOM’ers very rich!

4:41pm – At this point, the mantra is very much “go big, or don’t bet”. MDs Tim and Vincent ramp up the betting along with the few people actually up money for the day. The 5pm Queen’s Vase is shaping up to be massive with the charity prize still very much up for grabs.

5:12pm – Favourite Namibian brings it home, and Tim takes home £135 surely for the charity prize?

5:23pm – With the last race around the corner, and the massive 25 horse field in the Buckingham Stakes, the day is coming to a close with a scintillating end. A lot of the lads put big money on the last race in hope of a big return...and the non bettors take advantage of the last half hour of the bar!

5:53pm – Manassas (12/1) comes in to make Vincent very happy as he pips Tim to the post (excuse the pun) for the charity prize. He would later go on to donate to the WWF Save The Tiger with a massive £153. Congrats!

5:59pm – The bar closes as an end to a great day comes. Those who live locally get cabs or trains, the majority jump back on to the coach for the drive home, and the bookies smile as they see us leaving...All in all a really great day! The food, the fun, the company, and of course, the drink! Everyone had a great time and just to say a massive thanks to our MDs Tim and Vincent for making all of this possible!