As William Hill puts it, Glorious Goodwood is "one of the most eagerly awaited horserace wagering festivals in UK flat racing." Here are five things you might not know about the summer spectacular.

It's a course like no other Rather than the traditional circular or looping course, Goodwood consists of a six furlong straight track with a sharp turn into a right-handed loop. While shorter races start at the loop, longer races start along the straight with the horses riding the "wrong way" down to the loop before returning to the finishing line. While there are no fences, calling it a flat race circuit is a bit of a stretch, as sections of the course are sloped. If you're going to bet on Glorious Goodwood 2015 - horse racing festival - and get top odds, bear in mind the slopes can unsettle some horses and add a little jump-style unpredictability.

Hats aren't just for ladies Glorious Goodwood does have an Ascot-style Ladies' Day (the Thursday) with the riders wearing special silks produced by leading fashion designers. However, the event is also a chance for the men to show their style, hence King Edward VII's description of the event as "a garden party with racing tacked on." Edward shocked racegoers in 1906 by dressing in a Panama hat and linen suit, but the idea caught on and it's now the unofficial uniform for gentleman at the festival. Purists will only wear a Panama that's made in Ecuador and uses fibres taken from the paja de toquilla plant.

There's a price for every pocket While some concession tickets in the Lennox Enclosure cost as little as £14 when booked in advance, the course offers the life of luxury for those with cash to splash. The Gordon and Richmond Enclosures both offer hospitality packages that include everything from afternoon tea and unlimited drinks to entry into an "English Secret Garden", and, costing up to £450 (including VAT) per person, you can see why people want to get their money's worth. The most expensive ticket comes for those who book the exclusive Charlton Boxes which include lunch, afternoon tea and drinks. On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday it's an eye-watering £714 per person. If you can’t attend but still want to get involved check out the Glorious Goodwood Festival 2015 - Day 1 betting options online.

Despite the location, the festival is formally known as the Qatar Goodwood Festival. In December 2014 the racecourse's owners announced a 10 year sponsorship deal with the government of Qatar. The deal means prize money has increased in eight key races, with the Sussex States now having a total of £1 million on offer, up from £70,000 before the deal. The arrangement also guarantees minimum prize money of at least £500,000 for any Group 1 race, even those which are upgraded from Group 2, with Qatar footing the bill for any increase. The deal was controversial to say the least and it remains to be seen how many racegoers will be convinced to stop using the traditional Glorious Goodwood name.

The work behind the scenes is immense According to the Chichester Observer, preparing the racecourse involves a specialist tractor running for a total of 960 hours, with staff having to lay down 52,000 kilograms of fertiliser and maintaining nine miles of railing alongside the track. Once the festival is over, they'll need to lay down 30 tons of topsoil to put right the damage caused by the races. The catering demands for the entire festival are estimated as including 650 kilograms of beef, 500 lobsters