ROYAL ASCOT is only days away - and it is time to get your bets on for which celebrities are likely to turn up.

With help from a leading betting agent the Evening Press can today reveal the likely odds on which VIPs will be donning their glad-rags for the racing event.

Wayne Rooney's girlfriend Coleen McLoughlin is a favourite with odds 2/1 - while her footballer beau is less likely to turn up, with odds of 5/1.

A spokesman for Mr Rooney said it was not known yet whether he would come to the races, but there have been reports that Coleen had her eye on a designer dress in which to grace the event.

Rod Stewart and girlfriend Penny Lancaster are Royal Ascot regulars - the pair were famously thrown out of the Royal Enclosure in 2002 for not abiding by the dress code - but a spokeswoman for the rock star said he will be touring in Europe and was unlikely to attend.

Rumours that David and Victoria Beckham could come to the Knavesmire turf appear to have been scotched this week after it emerged they would be holidaying abroad.

Myths that the golden couple would stay at top hotels such as Aldwark Manor, at Alne, and The Parsonage Hotel, at Escrick, have been the talk of the two villages, but a spokesman for Posh Spice said it was "very unlikely" the couple would break off their continental holiday to visit York.

However, the chances of Becks' old boss, Sir Alex Ferguson, attending are much higher.

The racehorse-owning Manchester United manager is a regular at both Ascot and York.

Speculation about the Royal Family attending the races has met with a more positive response.

Although Ascot spokesman Nick Smith said VIPs on their guest list for the Royal Enclosure was a "private affair" and names would not be made public, a spokeswoman for Clarence House confirmed that the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall would be attending Royal Ascot on Tuesday, June 14, and would be staying "privately".

Mr Smith said Prince Charles had been known to come at the event for more than one day.

The Duke of York is expected to attend the race meeting, and will be meeting winners of the Evening Press and City of York Council's York Community Pride campaign.

A quick scan of the Royal Family's engagement list reveals that the Princess Royal has official duties on the first three days of the racing week, while the Earl and Countess of Wessex have engagements in Bracknell on June 16.

But on Saturday, June 18, only Princess Alexandra is on official Royal business.

Grandstand tickets for Royal Ascot at York are now nearly sold out. Ascot chiefs said they had sold 95 per cent of the tickets with only badges for Tuesday remaining. Returns come through intermittently.

Tickets are still available for Tuesday and Wednesday in the Yorkshire Course Enclosure, which is sold out on Thursday and approaching capacity on Friday.

Updated: 11:19 Friday, June 03, 2005