Ladies, time to find a new hat and get your glad rags on – it’s time to go racing!
One of the most glamorous sports around, horse racing offers thrills everywhere you look – from the thunder of hooves, the eager shouts and the colourful speed on the turf, to the clack of high heels, animated chatter and the rainbow of outfits at Ladies’ Days.
Meanwhile, as punters eye up the form, discerning judges will be keeping a close watch on the most stylish girls so make sure you don’t miss out on the fun. It’s time to start planning your day at the races!
After a long year waiting, one of the best picks of the Race calendar is almost upon us, the Galway Races. Ladies Day in Galway on the 31st of July is one that is certainly not to be missed.
Ladies Day in Galway on Thursday famously combines the very best in racing and fashion for the pinnacle of the summer racing calendar.
The first of eight races goes off at 1:50pm on a card that sees the ‘Galway Guinness Hurdle Handicap’ – the richest National Hunt race in Ireland – run over a distance of two miles with the mouthwatering prize fund of €260,000.
With less than two weeks to Ladies Day at the Galway Races, fashionistas up and down the country are putting the finishing touches to their ensembles hoping they will be stylish enough to catch the eye of the distinguished judging panel. This year’s panel includes celebrity stylist Lisa Fitzpatrick, fashion editor of the Irish Independent, Bairbre Power, PJ Gibbons editor of Social & Personal Magazine, Mandy Maher Catwalk Models and Patricia McCrossan Managing Director Galway Now.
Sponsors, Anthony Ryans of Shop Street Galway have turned Ladies Day into one of the most valuable racing style competitions in the country and this year’s Best Dressed will win €12,000 in prizes while Best Hat gets €1,500, the winner of the Wear Irish €500 and finalists receive a bag of beauty products from Lancôme.
We decided to go straight to the horses mouth, pardon the pun, and ask the judges and sponsors what exactly they are looking for when selecting winners of the Anthony Ryan’s Best Dressed Competitions.
Celebrity stylist and author Lisa Fitzpatrick, favours a white look for racing fashion. “To catch the eyes of the judges your outfit must be current or classic. You can achieve this look with this season’s crisp white look which is both elegant and trendy at the same time” says Lisa.
However for Lisa, the hat is the piece de resistance. “The hat can make or break an outfit. This summer a vintage inspired fascinator could be the winner to complete the perfect elegant look,” she says.
We will leave the last word on Ladies Day style to Cora, a lady who is on her feet all day, looking effortlessly elegant as she pulls the whole event together.
She advises ladies to put time and not money into their chosen outfit for Ladies Day: “The fact that you broke the bank to dress yourself for Ladies Day is not going to impress the judges – the fact that you put time, thought and some wise shopping / accessorising into your ensemble will,” concluded Cora.
There is no entry required for the competition. Anthony Ryans Scouts and Judges will mingle through the crowd and will invite selected finalists to the judging marquee which is located adjacent to the champagne tent in the race enclosure. Finalists will have access to the Lancôme mobile make up studio provided by University Pharmacy in the Anthony Ryans marquee for make up touch ups.
The winning outfits will be announced at 3.30pm at the Anthony Ryans Marquee. The presentation of the prizes will take place in the Parade Ring later in the afternoon.
For more information on the Galway Races, log on to the Horse Racing Ireland page.
