BEST Dressed Lady award are now an integral part of every big raceday and from a female point of view, it’s lovely to see ladies turned out in style and elegance among the racegoers. And on the big days, the prizes are certainly worth making an effort for. But let our winners not be so modest.

We saw from a BBC NI documentary with Brendan Courtney a few years ago that these are fiercely contested competitions, with weeks and weeks of work put in.

The shock, the “I can’t believe I’ve won,” is becoming a bit needless.

When the next question, how did you put your outfit together, is asked, it becomes clear the preparation was every bit as meticulous as preparing a colt for the Derby. Colours chosen, swatches sent, bespoke bits added. Nothing is left to chance.

And then there’s the doubt as to what the winning prize was. “I think it’s a trip to…?”

Might as well admit, “it’s a damn good prize, I really want a trip to…. and I’m doing my damndest to have every bit turned out to the best to try and win it.”

Otherwise, it’s a bit like Aidan saying, “I really can’t believe I’ve just won the Derby!”