After the wettest July on record in Ireland, racegoers and fashionistas were hoping for a break in the weather and a bit of luck beating the bookies at the Galway Races Summer Festival.
Thursday is Ladies' Day and the winner was announced this afternoon.
Maritess McCarthy, a nurse at Cork University Hospital, won €10,000 as the Best Dressed lady.
She said she wanted a "unique and elegant outfit to show her heritage".
"My outfit is made by a Filipino designer named Raffaella which I bought while visiting my home country Philippines last Christmas. My headpiece is made by Elizabeth Christina Design also known as Tina Coyne from Cork. The crystal embellished clutch is Jimmy Choo and is pre-loved. The red shoes are Jimmy Choo and gold bangle are from my own collection."
Galway's Anne-Marie Corbett, who works in childcare and hospitality, was deemed to have the 'Best Hat', winning her €3,000.
Her orange, red and yellow head-piece is from Galway milliner Emily Jean.
Ladies arrived from early in the day at the racecourse in Ballybrit hoping to make the shortlist of finalists for Best Dressed title.
Mandy Maher, who runs the Catwalk model agency in Galway city, was one of the three judges style spotting this morning.
She summed up their mission in one sentence - "We will know the winner when we see her."
Style and elegance are key to a winning outfit but often it's the "something extra" that catches the eye of the judges.
"C'mon lads! Euros or sterling. We don't mind. Place your bets before the off".
Pat Moynihan is a longtime bookie at Ballybrit and a well-known colourful character. He counts the grubby notes in his hand and chuckles. "The only cards we accept are Christmas cards. Cash is King!"
Pat says the week has been going "brilliantly" and the weather has been "kind" as well.
After the wettest July on record in Ireland, racegoers and fashionistas were hoping for a break in the weather and a bit of luck beating the bookies.
The Galway Races Summer Festival is one of the biggest sporting and social events in the west of Ireland attracting newcomers and veterans alike. Some have been making the annual pilgrimage for years, people like Ailís Dempsey from Corofin and Trish Nugent from Lackagh.
"We just love the Galway Races. It's a chance to dress up, put a few quid on the horses and have a couple of drinkies! You get to meet people you only see once a year and it's just such a fun occasion. We wouldn't miss it."
Gabrielle and Barbara Dunne are from Oranmore and in Ballybrit with their mother Marilyn. They joked about being one of the most regular race-going families in Galway.
"We haven't missed a day at the races in over ten years. Christmas Day and a day in Ballybrit are the two most important days in our calendar. We love getting our outfits made for the occasion and we are blessed with our talented mother who makes our hats every year."
Daily attendance figures at this year's festival are up on average by about 2,000 more than last year.
Michael Moloney is the manager of the Galway Racecourse and says the weeklong event is worth over €60 million to the local economy.
"This festival generates a lot of income for hotels and guest houses, taxi drivers, hairdressers, boutiques and so forth. Here in Ballybrit there are up to 1,600 staff employed across a wide range of areas with a huge number of young people working in hospitality this week."
There are 800 horses in 53 races taking place over the weeklong festival with prize money in excess of €2 million.
"We have the top trainers, jockeys and owners here competing for lucrative prize money. Our two big centrepiece races are the Tote Galway Plate and the Galway Guinness Handicap Hurdle, both worth €270,000.
A new initiative this year is a six episode podcast series called 'Let's be having you Galway'.
Each episode relays stories from inside and outside the parade ring, with host Paul Collins speaking to racing royalty and life-long racing fans alike.
The guests include Davy and Edelle Russell, Gordon Elliott, Noel Meade, Jane Mangan, Tom Rudd, John and Michael Moloney, Patrick Mullins and Michael Donoghue. In addition, there are conversations with fans including Galway football manager Padraic Joyce, Áine Killilea, Stephen Cunningham, Mary Davin, Tom Keane and Eileen Cooley.
Ladies' Day is without doubt the most colourful occasion of the week-long festival.
Kieran O'Malley is a Galway-based style influencer and one of the Ladies' Day judges.
"This is like a competitive sport for a lot of these people. It's an unbelievable occasion. I know ladies who are getting ready since the races ended last year. So they've travelled the length and breadth of the country. The hotels are buzzing and you would want to see the style around the lobbies this morning.
"We are looking for style and elegance but keeping an open mind as we move amongst the crowd looking for the outfits that catch our eye. Sometimes you just know immediately who is going to go through to the shortlist. It's just one of those special days in this county. It's a normal Thursday everywhere else in Ireland but it's Ladies' Day in Galway and we're blessed with stunning style and fashion."
Security staff at Ballybrit were bemused to find a pair of designer shoes worth 660 euros dumped in a bin! Even a pair of #ManoloBlahniks couldn't sustain a lady at the #GalwayRaces @rtenews @galwayraces #SATC25 pic.twitter.com/dgyWBH9Xz8
— Teresa Mannion (@TeresaMannion) August 3, 2023
Meanwhile, security staff at Ballybrit race course were bemused by a pair of Manola Blahnik shoes left in a bin outside the entrance yesterday evening.
They had spotted the owner take off the pink suede designer stilettos and hand them to her partner.
The man proceeded to dump the muddied heels in the bin as she walked on barefoot.
Staff checked out the cost of the pumps - made famous by the character, Carrie Bradshaw, in the Sex and the City television series. They were retailing at €660. The brand is known for its craftsmanship and use of high quality materials.
But even a pair of Manolo Blahnik pumps were not enough to sustain a lady at the Galway Races!
The highlight of today's racing action was the 'Galway Guinness Hurdle Handicap'.
