With flying colours

RACING colours’ noble origins may have developed out of necessity, but their presence is now woven into the essence of the sport, with a kaleidoscope of combinations offering an intriguing insight into the lives and passions of the owners who chose them.

According to Weatherbys, administrator of colours, records of race meetings date back to 1174, with individual silk colours first mentioned in 1515, during the reign of Henry VIII. Originally, they were primarily used to distinguish competitors and clearly identify race