Fillies getting festival fit for Punchestown

Some of Irish television’s favourite faces will pick the fittest fillies at the Punchestown Festival’s Best Dressed Lady competition this year.

Arnotts are again sponsoring the Best Dressed competition - which gets as much attention as anything on the racetrack - to the tune of E20,000.

Xpose’s Lisa Cannon will pick her winner on the opening day of the festival, Tuesday, May 3. RTE girl Sile Seoige will be on duty on Wednesday May 4, with Off The Rails’ Brendan Courtney on Thursday May 5.

A celebrity judge will be announced closer to the festival to pick the final contender on Ladies Day, Friday May 6, and all the daily winners will be in contention for the overall E10,000 prize. There are also vouchers and goodie bags for the daily finalists.

Dick O’Sullivan, General Manager, Punchestown racecourse said, “The Arnotts Best Dressed Lady Competition is an integral part of what makes the Punchestown Festival one of the social highlights of the year.”

Student and jockey Kate Harrington, daughter of one of Irish racing’s leading ladies Jessica, helped launch the Ladies Day competition recently.

Meanwhile, entries are still open for the Miss Punchestown competition, which will take place in aid of Irish Motor Neurone at the Court Hotel, Naas, on April 29.

The annual competition to become Queen of the National Hunt Festival is open to all girls over the age of 18, and the gala night will be hosted by TV3’s Martin King, with judges including Glenda Gilson, Georgia Salpa and Brian Purcell of The Apprentice.

To enter, call organiser Maureen Catterson on 087 7800737.