Bumper racing festival begins from tomorrow
RACING fans are looking forward to the 2-day Sligo Races Summer Festival this week at Cleveragh, the highlight being the glamorous Ladies Day on Thursday.
Huge crowds are expected for both evening meetings and if last month’s races are anything to go by, it should be another packed event.
The disappointment of having the first three meetings cancelled earlier this year is gone with punters expected to come out in droves for this week’s festival.
Leitrim comedian and Dancing with the Stars contestant Katherine Lynch will judge this year’s Ladies Day on Thursday, August 10
The festival kicks off on Wednesday August 9th, Farmers Day Steeplechase, a six-card evening meeting with lots of fun activities for young and old. The first race is at 5.25pm, with the feature race, the BoyleSports Handicap Steeplechase of €20,000 at 6.25pm.
Thursday is Ladies Day, the fashion showcase of the year in Sligo. The best dressed lady will walk away with a top prize of €1,500 cash, with nine runners-up each receiving €200. There is no pre-registration for the competition, just simply look out for the best dressed judge and spotters on the day. The finalists will be announced after the 5th race.
Guest Judge, Katherine Lynch said: “I am really looking forward to visiting Sligo Races and judging Ladies Day. I’m expecting a great sense of style from the ladies in the Northwest. I’ll be looking for originality, with lots of colour. More importantly, I’m really looking forward to a fun night at the races.”
Kathryn Foley, Manager of Sligo Races, added: “Our two day summer festival is the highlight of our racing season. We look forward to welcoming all our local sponsors and thank them for their support of Sligo Races. We are also delighted to welcome Katherine Lynch as our guest judge, our Ladies Day is always great fun, with lots of style and glamour.”
Gates open at 3pm each day. Raceday tickets can be purchased online at www.countysligoraces.com or at the turnstiles. Adult admission is €15, senior citizen and students €10. There is also a group rate of €10 for numbers of ten and over.