Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby





Good going: 1. Ally Garvey; 2. Celia Holman Lee and Breeda McLoughlin; 3. Claudine Keane.. (Pix. KH)


Deborah Barrett from Lehenaghmore, Co. Cork, was announced as this year’s Most Stylish Lady in association with Boodles, at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.

As always, the fashion stakes were high as hundreds of Ireland’s most fashionable ladies put their best foot forward to impress this year’s judging panel, which was led by award winning actress and Coronation Street star Michelle Keegan.

Other notable attendees at this year’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby were tennis ace, Ana Ivanovic who is a brand ambassador for Dubai Duty Free, film director Jim Sheridan, UK talk show host Jeremy Kyle, Claudine Keane and with her mother Joan Palmer, Xpose presenter Aisling O’Loughlin, television veteran Gay Byrne along with singer Bryan Kennedy

Michelle was joined by a team of expert judges charged with the enviable task of crowning this year’s winner, which included Breeda McLoughlin, wife of the Executive Vice Chairman of Dubai Duty Free, Melanie Morris, Editor at IMAGE Magazine, James Amos of Boodles and Ally Garvey, The Face of the Curragh Racecourse and Miss Kildare 2013.

23,407 attended the Curragh on derby day, 900 up on last year’s attendance figure. The full festival included several ancillary events which ran on and off the track including a Golf Classic which was held on Thursday the 27th of June at the Palmer Ryder Cup course at The K Club and the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Ball, also held at The K Club on Friday 28th of June which was in aid of Irish Autism Action.