A sporting and social highlight of the summer will begin this week at Goodwood.

More than 100,000 people will flock to the racecourse for Glorious Goodwood to see some of the finest thoroughbred horses in action.

One of the highlights will come on Friday in the hotly contested Betfred Mile - the most valuable handicap at Goodwood and is always fiercely contested.

New for the 2014 festival on Friday will be the Best Dressed competition, where the best dressed lady in the signature blue and white colours of the prize sponsor, L’Ormarins, will win a five night holiday in Cape Town for two.

The most glamorous occasion of the Goodwood calendar takes place on Thursday where groups of girls will be dressed to impress on Ladies Day.

Ladies Day will also see the Magnolia Cup, with horses ridden by female celebrities including models, journalists and jewellers.

On Tuesday, Glorious Goodwood will kick off with the opening ceremony, celebrating the festival’s illustrious former winners and revealing the specially-commissioned cups for the week’s features races.

Taking the racing limelight on the opening day will be Bet 365 Lennox Stakes Group 2 race.