Sabrina at the 1957 Ascot Races

18 June 1957

Sabrina a Sensation at Ascot . Sabrina, the babe with the biggest bust in British show business, was a sensation at the races when she gate-crashed the hallowed royal enclosure at Ascot, England, dressed in low-necked organdy. The show girl walked into the enclosure without a ticket, departing after 15 minutes as thousands peered, including dukes, viscounts, lords, barons and earls.

Ron reports that English racing authorities raise their eyebrows when Sabrina wears that outfit to Royal Ascot and she was asked to leave.

See more pictures of Sabrina at Ascot

18 June 1957

British TV's "Dumb Blonde" not so dumb. This vision in organdy with the plunging neckline is Sabrina (Norma Sykes) British television star known the length and breadth of the British Isles as "TV's dumb blonde". Yesterday Sabrina proved the fallacy of the title when she crashed the royal enclosure at Ascot and told a reporter she was just "looking for the powder room". Queen Elizabeth II and other members of the royal party appeared not to notice the intrusion.

Wish I had this newsreel (itnsource.com - ref: 130-944 ): Royal Party drive up Course, MC Queen & Prince Philip in carriage, HS Crowds, CU Men in high hats, MC Sabrina, TV Star , Med Royal Party (Philip putting glasses on), Med Princess Margaret, MS Queen looking through field glasses, A shots Start of race & race, MC Bonhomie on outside moving up & takes lead, Queen & Queen Mother looking on (Queen's Reactions), MC Winner Bonhomie.

19 June 1957 - Daily Mirror

And here's another very similar shot, but a millisecond later...

19 June 1957 - Daily Express

I DIDN'T KNOW

I AM afraid I suffered the perfect squelch. I saw a lovely girl In white flowered organdie with an enormous hat of same material.

I asked her who she was. "You really don't know who I am?" she said, looking down modestly.

"I'm afraid" she said. " if you don't know my name I cannot help."

I was looking pretty downcast by now. The lovely lady took pity on me. "My name," she said, "is Norma Sykes."

It didn't mean a thing to me. Seconds later a friend said to me: "I see you were talking to Sabrina."

How awful to go down in history as the only man who didn't recognise Sabrina!

 

Ascot, England, June 19. The babe with the biggest bust in British show business gate-crashed the hallowed royal enclosure at the Ascot races yesterday. It was sensational, and the place may never be the same again.

The girl with the bust is Sabrina, nee Norma Sykes, known the length and breadth of the British Isles as "Television's Dumb Blonde." She has become famous by the simple process of standing in front of the cameras and breathing. The vital statistic is 41 inches.

76-1 Winner Eclipsed

Sabrina's appearance before the royal family and among the peers of the realm created a bitgger shock than the victory of an 8-year-old gelding named Bonhomie in the day's feature race, and Bonhomie paid 76-1 on the tote. They won't let you in the royal enclosure at all if you are divorced.

Dressed in a low-necked flowered organdy, Sabrina walked into the enclosure without a ticket while the gate man was groping around the royal turf for his eyeballs.

"Scandalous!" hissed 17 duchesses, or it may have been 18.

"Shocking!" muttered six viscountesses, or maybe it was seven.

"Yes, m'deah," murmured their titled escorts as they kept on looking.

A reporter who encountered the showgirl asked what in the world she was doing in the royal enclosure.

Queen Ignores Her

"Looking," giggled Sabrina, "for the ladies' powder room."

After a 15-minute search, Sabrina departed as thousands peered, including a rare assortment of pop-eyed dukes, viscounts, lords, barons and earls.

Queen Elizabeth II and the other members of the royal family did not appear to notice.

Joe Matthews . Sabrina's manager, told newsmen later her neckline had a "cowl effect" and was "all right at eye level."

"It was quite proper for the royal enclosure," he concluded.