STYLE was very much a frontrunner as the fashionistas turned out in considerable force for Littlewoods Ireland Ladies Day which brought a most successful August racing festival in Killarney to a close.
Celebrity judge Sinead Desmond of TV3 noted that the standard was incredibly high this year and that made the task of selecting a winner all the more difficult, particularly with the attendance up by an impressive 20 per cent on last year.
She eventually chose Rathmore woman Helena Madigan Fitzgerald, who is now living in Killarney, as the best-dressed lady.
“We could have picked 500, the standard was that high,” said the glamorous Sinead who was joined on the judging panel by stylist Sonia Mohlich and Barbara White of Horse Racing Ireland.
“We were happy to see loads of colour and lots of hats by local designers. Irish milliners are the best in the world. It’s great that people are also buying from regional boutiques and recycling as well,” the popular TV presenter added.
Delighted winner, Helena Madigan, a teacher at Presentation Secondary School, Tralee, stood out in a lilac fishtail dress with peplum hem from ASOS, with a generously-brimmed matching hat borrowed from her mother, Margaret.
The last time Margaret wore it was to a wedding with Helena’s late father, Christy, about six years ago.
“That hat is very special,” she said.
Helena lives in Killarney with her husband, Adrian Fitzgerald, and two-year-old son Gavin.
She received a €1,500 shopping spree as her prize and she promised: “There will be treats for everyone.”
As the racing season in the town drew to a close, Killarney Racecourse general manager, Micheál Lucey, noted that all key measures at the track were surpassed with large attendances recorded during all three festivals.
Overall, the racecourse recorded attendance growth of 11 per cent with the Tote increasing by a whopping 38 per cent.
“We were delighted with the performance during 2014 with large crowds, a great atmosphere on all race days and some fantastic racing. Such improvements are attributable to the continued investment in the racecourse facilities as well as the continued enhancement of the racing programme,” he said.
Mr Lucey pointed out that all races during the season were sponsored and he thanked all those involved for their continued and generous support.
“Quite simply, racing couldn’t happen without the support of our sponsors across the three racing festivals and for that we are extremely grateful,” he said.
He also mentioned the fantastic contributions made by racecourse staff in ensuring that preparations for each festival went according to plan.
“The energetic and enthusiastic staff are the very components of success and they will ensure that Killarney Racecourse will remain to the fore of Irish festival racing for many years to come,” he said.
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