[coppice]

Sorry to be Mr Pedant but ...if by 'inner paddock ' you mean the part of the paddock which is accessed by a paddock pass then there was certainly a strict code when I last visited with my wife. Despite wearing a smart blazer, silk shirt, cravat and smart trousers she was told by some possibly over zealous official that she couldn't go in as she wasn't wearing a skirt..... Not a wise move on his part - she got in.

If I may quote verbatim from the Goodwood website 'What is the dress code? As with any exclusive club , the MM is intended to be stylish and relaxed - and informal yet smart event with everyone asked to respect the dress code'

Anyway - I am sure I will enjoy it . I don't expect to feature too much in the ..ahem ..house system - I developed an allergy to all that stuff at my very minor public school . So much so that its main symptom was praying for Lindsay Anderson's film 'If ' to have been a documentary ....