Racing at Fairyhouse: 1. Colette Fitzpatrick & Jessie Collins; 2. Nadia Forde & Synan O’Mahony; 3. Dáithí Ó Sé & Maureen Caterson. (Pix. Brian McEvoy)
Ireland’s racing set and fashion trend setters were out in force to cheer on The Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National on Easter Monday at Fairyhouse Racecourse.
This annual event is the highlight of the three-day Easter Festival at Fairyhouse and attracted a crowd of over 13,000 racegoers. The Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National is Ireland’s richest National Hunt handicap steeplechase with a prize fund of €250,000 and the much anticipated race was won by Bluesea Cracker, much to everyone’s surprise.
The fashion and style stakes were high with ladies from around the country braved the high winds to win the Carton House Most Stylish Lady competition in association with Powers Whiskey.
The deserving winner was Lucy Foster from Enfield, Co.Meath who is a regular race goer. The guest judges for the Most Stylish Lady on the day were Báirbre Power, Fashion Editor of the Irish Independent, TV3 Presenter Colette Fitzpatrick and Editor of Irish Tatler, Jessie Collins.
Among those enjoying the Easter racing festivities were many from the media world including Dáithí Ó Sé, Anne Doyle and her partner Dan McGrattan, Mark Noble from FM104, Sean Munsanje and Aisling O’Loughlin from Xposé and Alan Hughes from Ireland AM.
Also there were An Taoiseach Brian Cowen TD, Alexandre Ricard and Emma Donellan from Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard, designer Synan O’Mahony, Michael and Anita O’Leary, the French Ambassador H.E. Yvon Roe D’Albert, Michael Hayes and Ailbhe Lee and many others.
