Diamond a best friend for Ladies Day winner
ASTUNNING prize of an 18- carat white gold di a m o nd pen da n t awaits the most stylish lady at Killarney Races on the closing day of the fourday August festival of racing.
It is certainly a fabulous prize well worth winning and, not surprisingly, competition in the style stakes is expected to be intense with a gala afternoon of high-end fashion on the cards.
The four-day meeting will commence on Wednesday, August 23 and the closing day, Saturday, August 26, has been designated Ladies Day with the action getting underway at 1.30pm.
The celebrity judge will be model agency supremo and style icon Celia Holman Lee and the star prize will be sponsored by Keane’s Jewellers.
There will be 10 runners-up prizes on Ladies Day and each finalist will receive goody bags featuring gifts from local businesses and €50 vouchers for Keane’s Jewellers.
In addition, Keane’s diamond and jewellery experts, Paul Trant and Susan O’Sullivan, will be in attendance on the day to offer valuable and practical advice on great neckline looks and what accessories to choose for various occasions.
Away from the sheer excitement and glamour of Ladies Day, four days of high quality racing is guaranteed in Killarney and a bumper crowd is expected at the height of the busy holiday season when the magical atmosphere in Killarney has to be experienced to be believed.
The action on the opening day, on Wednesday August 23, will commence at 3.10pm and the highlight of the day will be the Vincent O’Brien Ruby Stakes, a listed race with a prize fund of €45,000.
Thursday’s racing will get underway at 4.30pm and the feature race will be the Kingdom Gold Cup Handicap with an impressive fund of €50,000.
On the corresponding day in Killarney last year, this year’s prestigious Epsom Derby winner, Wings of Eagles, powered its way to glory to win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden.
The Aidan O’Brien trained champion caused a major sensation when he raced to victory in the Derby, at odds of 40/1, and hopes are high that Killarney could unearth another potential superstar this time out.
The first race on the Friday in Killarney will be at 5.05pm and the highlight will be the John J Galvin Grade B Hurdle with a prize fund of €50,000.
There will be a fabulously festive atmosphere in Killarney on each of the four days and when the last race is run each day, punters can enjoy a real summertime atmosphere with live music and entertainment at the track.
This year’s July Festival of Racing in Killarney was one of the best for many years and hopes are high that the August meeting will be even more successful.
Following the huge success of the service for the July festival, Killarney Race Company will again organise a free shuttle bus to and from the town centre before and after the races on each of the four days.
The service will be provided for two hours before the first race and two hours after the last race each day and the collection and drop-off point will be the Killarney Avenue Hotel.
To ensure an even more wonderful experience at the races, special hospitality packages are available so that guests can enjoy fine food, fine wines and a great atmosphere while viewing the action from the VIP grandstands. For restaurant and barbecue packages call 064-6631125.