Elizabeth Hurley dazzled in a cream button-up midi dress as she attended the QIPCO British Champions Day with her poet pal Henry Birtles at Ascot Racecourse on Saturday.
The 59-year-old actress looked glamorous in the elegant long-sleeved ensemble, which boasted white detailing and a high-neck design.
She added inches to her height with pointy nude heels, before accessorising with a matching fascinator featuring feathers and gold embellishments.
The brunette beauty toted around her essentials in a pale pink suede clutch bag and finished off her race day look with pearl earrings.
She allowed her long tresses to flow over her shoulders in loose curls and opted for a smoky palette of makeup for the day out.
Elizabeth Hurley dazzled in a cream button-up midi dress as she attended the QIPCO British Champions Day with her poet pal Henry Birtles at Ascot Racecourse on Saturday
The 59-year-old actress looked glamorous in the elegant long-sleeved ensemble, which boasted white detailing and a high-neck design
She seemed to be in high spirits as she posed for snaps with her long-time friend Henry, who cut a dapper figure in a grey suit paired with a blue shirt and green tie.
Henry, 57, who was a friend of Liz’s former fiancé, the late Shane Warne, is separated from his wife.
The pair have been friends for years and in 2022 Liz and Henry shared a snap of themselves rolling around on the floor in Superman and Superwoman costumes.
Despite previous rumours he could be a love interest, he told The Sun of their friendship: ‘It was a laugh, OK, it was past midnight.
‘Everyone had had a bit too much to drink and we had a Superman versus Supergirl wrestle and someone took a picture. It was pretty lighthearted.
‘I was the best man at his wedding and we are just great, great old friends. And it is nothing more than that. Elizabeth has come horse-racing with me, several times. I am a friend of Shane Warne.’
Claiming to be the Austin Powers star’s friend of thirty years, he concluded: ‘This is nothing. It has all just gone a bit pear-shaped.’
Nicknamed The Racing Poet, Henry’s website reads: ‘His poems are a regular feature on Cheltenham Gold Cup Day where he recites to the crowd.’
She added inches to her height with pointy nude heels, before accessorising with a matching fascinator featuring feathers and gold embellishments
The brunette beauty toted around her essentials in a pale pink suede clutch bag and finished off her race day look with pearl earrings
She allowed her long tresses to flow over her shoulders in loose curls and opted for a smoky palette of makeup for the day out
She seemed to be in high spirits as she posed for snaps with her long-time friend Henry, who cut a dapper figure in a grey suit paired with a blue shirt and green tie (pictured with Dougray Scott)
Henry’s friendship with Liz Hurley became the subject of speculation when she posted this photo (taken during a New Year’s Eve party) on social media. The pair say they are just friends
Henry, who was a friend of Liz’s former fiancé, the late Shane Warne, is separated from his wife
The pair have been friends for years and in 2022, Liz and Henry shared a snap of themselves rolling around on the floor in Superman and Superwoman costumes
Heading out in the sunshine, Liz was all-laughter as she added a pair of shades to her stylish outfit.
Henry, who runs a consultancy specialising in television rights for horse racing called HBA Media, wants to bring horse racing to a wider audience.
Describing his work, the website adds that Henry has ‘found a style to capture the heartbeat and humour of the sport’ through ‘his passion for racing’.
It says his ‘no-nonsense poems in a traditional style’ evoke ‘some of those moments and characters that have defined the sport of racing’.
‘If you think poems should make you feel – feel without complication or a need for interpretation – Birtles is your man,’ it continues.
‘In rhyming verse his poetry captures the imagination of the reader and effortlessly mirrors all the beauty, elegance and excitement of the racing world, both modern and historical.
‘Although racing is Henry’s major passion, he has also written poems on a wide range of subjects including cricket, harvest, the World Cup, as well as touching odes dedicated to friends and family. There is no subject this modern-day bard cannot turn into lyrical and engaging poetry.’
The writer, who describes himself as ‘fanatical and unashamedly passionate about’ racing, says he prefers to call his writing ‘rhymes’ rather than ‘poems’.
Heading out in the sunshine, Liz was all-laughter as she added a pair of shades to her stylish outfit
Henry, who runs a consultancy specialising in television rights for horse racing called HBA Media, wants to bring horse racing to a wider audience
Describing his work, the website adds that Henry has ‘found a style to capture the heartbeat and humour of the sport’ through ‘his passion for racing’ (pictured with Liz at Ascot in June)
‘I would hate to insult the great poets and prefer to describe what I write as rhymes,’ he said on his website.
There’s nothing that clever about them, but I think they reflect what racing fans feel about this sport and the memories they have of some of the great horses and races that we’ve been privileged to witness.’
As well as reciting his poems at Cheltenham, Henry is regularly commissioned by jockey clubs and race horse owners.
And he has been featured on television, by channels including the BBC, Channel 4 and Dubai Sports Channel.
