Byline: Turia Tellwright on a day when what people were wearing was as important as the horses
MRS Patrick Fahey is a very lucky lady. Yesterday, her husband's Soul City won EUR1,000,000. Excluding the colt's E88,000 price tag, training fees and other inconveniences, that's the equivalent of around 1,900 pairs of Manolo Blahniks or 95 Boodles diamond rings, both of which were up for grabs at the Curragh yesterday.
In fact, if you wanted to land the Parknasilla Goffs Million races, it would have helped if callaway x24 irons your horse was trained by Richard Hannon. He tightened his stranglehold on juvenile races, Soul City being his 79th two-year-old winner of the season.
But the day was not just about Hannon, it was also about style. Fashion befriended racing in a one-off special, and the two walked hand in hand across the Curragh with enviable panache. As Hermes joined Dublin fashion mecca Brown Thomas and Sloane jeweller Boodles in supporting the Goffs Millions day, what people were wearing was just as important as the horses.
The number of Dublin yuppies gracing the track, each vying for one of the lamourous prizes on offer, suggests the sport is once again becoming 'the' place to be seen.
However, a liberating evolution has taken place in the interim, indicated by the Burger King banner situated in the parade ring.
The panel of judges weaved their way through the crowds hunting down a best-dressed man. According to judge and designer Robert Tateossian, what they were looking for were "well-groomed" men.
"I'm delighted men are taking the lead today," he said. "For once, the women are the accessories."
Fellow judge and former Bond girl Alison Doody, an avid racing fan, was also impressed by the turnout. "I've seen some lovely men - lots of younger guys who are fashion conscious.
"It's good to see guys who realise it's okay to be slightly vain," she explained.
With this in mind, few eyebrows were raised when Zac, a student, was proclaimed the day's best-dressed.
Philadelphia Eagles jerseysExplaining his choice of outfit, he said: "This is the only suit I have in Dublin, and pink's my favourite colour." FURTHER down the grandstand, nestled behind a sea of bookies' umbrellas, a more informal atmosphere presided. As the burlesque bodices were diluted by tracksuits, the horses regained their status as the day's primary attraction.
In Britain, racing is described as the sport of kings; at the Curragh it's the sport of the people. The owners of the runners in the Goffs Millions may have been vying for life changing prize-money, but that did not detract from the atmosphere. It was perhaps therefore appropriate that Michael Pescod and Justin Dowley, who together have had just seven winners in the last five seasons, took the Fillies' Million with Minor Vamp.
A palpable sense of anticipation could be felt in the Brown Thomas pavilion in the build-up to the 'Best Accessorised Lady' final. A much-coveted pair of Manolos were at stake - the holy grail of shoes - immortalised by Carrie Bradshaw in Sex And The City.
Onlookers stared incredulously as 'accessories' were taken to a whole new level. One woman took the day's theme a little too literally, holding a crop in her leather-clad palm. Another 'accessorised' with breeches and tight leather riding boots.
The Manolos went to Eimear from Meath, who was
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