The Road to Royal Ascot

Knowsley Hall has been the seat of the Stanley family, Earls of Derby, since 1385. The family's association with the Turf stretches back to the 5th Earl in the sixteenth century, but it was the 12th Earl who left the most lasting mark on the sport: he founded The Oaks in 1779 and The Derby itself the following year, and it was at Knowsley that Sir Peter Teazle was bred, going on to win the 12th Earl's own Derby in 1787 and become one of the most influential sires of the age. The Derby colours, black jacket and white cap, have been carried since 1788. Guests are welcomed today by the 19th Earl and Countess of Derby, Edward and Caroline Stanley, whose own Stanley House Stud in Newmarket produced Ouija Board, dual Oaks and Breeders' Cup winner in 2004.

Wentworth Woodhouse is one of the largest private houses in Britain, its Palladian East Front longer than Buckingham Palace. Much of the house today stands largely bare, a different, more atmospheric visit than the lived-in houses elsewhere on this tour. It also holds a founding story of British sporting art: Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, "absolutely obsessed" with horseracing, summoned George Stubbs here in 1762 to paint Whistlejacket, now hanging in the National Gallery. Lunch is hosted by Timothy Cooke OBE, Chairman of the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust, before guests travel on to Belvoir Castle, seat of the Dukes of Rutland and headquarters of the Belvoir Hunt, established in 1750.

A relaxed start at Belvoir, with time at the stables before joining Lady Sarah McCorquodale, sister of Diana, Princess of Wales, and Joint Master of the Belvoir Hunt, at the kennels, home to the Hunt's distinctive "Belvoir tan" bloodline, exported worldwide. En route to Euston, guests break at Burghley House, near Stamford, England's grandest Elizabethan house and home to the Burghley Horse Trials, one of only a handful of CCI5* events in the world. Afternoon tea is joined by owners Orlando and Miranda Rock, before Event Director Martyn Johnson leads the group along Winners Avenue, Burghley's own walk of fame. The day ends at Euston Hall, where guests settle in for a two-night stay.

Day four is centred around Euston Hall and Newmarket. Euston Hall has been the Suffolk seat of the Dukes of Grafton since 1675, when Charles II bestowed the title on his son Henry FitzRoy. Its place in racing history is exceptional: the 3rd Duke kept a stud at Euston that produced Waxy, one of the most influential sires in Thoroughbred history, and whose son, Whalebone, went on to found a sire line that runs through the majority of today's male-line Thoroughbreds worldwide. From Euston, guests travel the short distance into Newmarket, the historic headquarters of British racing since Charles II inaugurated racing there in 1666, for a morning on the gallops and the National Stud, before returning to Euston for the evening.

The final day is an unhurried conclusion to the journey, with time to enjoy the Euston estate. There is the option to join Harry, Duke of Grafton, for a walk across the farm, recognised as the county's "Greenest Farming Business" for its sustainability credentials. Guests may take the time to absorb the grounds and surrounding countryside before returning to London in the late afternoon for onward arrangements.