The Fitzpatrick family and Pierse Group jointly hosted their annual pre-race gala dinner on Saturday night at the Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel, Killiney, Co. Dublin. Guests were treated to a sumptuous five course meal followed by a performance by The Three Tenors.
RTE’s Colm Murray was the Compere for the evening and introduced speakers including Eithne Fitzpatrick, proprietress of the Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel, who welcomed guests to the 19th annual pre-race gala dinner. Post dinner tips were provided by top trainers, Noel Meade and Arthur Moore and one of Ireland’s leading jockeys, Davy Russell.
As usual this year’s dinner guests came from the world of racing, politics and business including; Minster for Education and Science, Mary Hanafin, Commissioner Charlie McCreevy and his wife Noleen, retired Leopardstown Racecourse Manager Tom Burke, horse trainer, Jessica Harrington, jockey, Charlie Swan and Brian Kavanagh of Horse Racing Ireland.
Dinner guests reassembled in the Fitzpatrick Suite on Sunday at the Leopardstown racecourse where the Fitzpatrick family sponsored the third race of the day, the €60,000 Paddy Fitzpatrick Memorial Novice Steeplechase, which saw Ruby Walsh came home with his third win of the day on Glencove Marina.
