THE style was everywhere as you walked in the avenue at Leopardstown on Saturday. Not far off Royal Ascot standards for the women, while men wore blazers and an open neck shirt as a minimum. The few lads who rocked up in the jumper and jeans looked a bit out of place but nobody minded - there’s no reserved enclosure here.

“It’s a day of glamour and sophistication - and then there’s us,” says Denis Kirwan as he introduces the Morning Line panel in the Champions Quarter marquee. There’s good information here but the sound quality is up and down - a recurring theme over the weekend.

Strong sunshine has everyone in great form, excited about the racing ahead. Everyone you talk to is saying the same thing - the big race is the best they can ever remember, anywhere.

It’s 3pm - still half an hour to the first race here but the hard-core punters are in the on-course betting shop. It’s packed in here and we can spot J.A. McGrath and Peter and Ross Doyle in amongst them keeping tabs on the Doncaster action.

The fillies are in the parade ring for our opener and one of the grooms is pumping blood from his forehead. We pause to watch the Doncaster St Leger on the big screen - an annual tradition at this stage. Gasps go up when Idaho stumbles and Seamie Heffernan is flung to the ground. With all the chatter very few people can recognise the jockey in blue and orange silks whose mount is bearing down on the frontrunners as the line approaches. “Harbour what? Laura who?” Shoulders are shrugged and we move on. It’s a sad fact that the St Leger is just a minor attraction on Irish Champion Stakes day.

Two Tipperary ladies are seated on a bench in front of the weighroom, people-watching. Their view is slightly spoiled by two racks of Irish Champions Weekend merchandise being offered for sale. “And they are taking up two benches as well, couldn’t they sell that stuff somewhere else?”

The Aga Khan breezes past, heading into the parade ring before the Petingo Handicap. One wonders what his reaction might have been when Quick Jack and Pyromaniac finished first and second. “Who is this A.J. Martin? Tell him to pick out 20 yearlings from Gilltown tomorrow. Finally I will win the Ebor.”

The atmosphere is much more relaxed in the Tapas Bar and Circle Lounge on the third floor. It’s normally open to all racegoers but appears to require a badge for entry today. However, security are using their discretion and it’s not too difficult to slip past for a coffee in a comfy couch.

We are dragged back downstairs for the result of the Champion Hat competition. The winner Geraldine Shalvey is local and has won at this track before. Can’t beat course form.

There’s a place for everyone at Leopardstown and how nice to see some young men who have fallen on hard times allowed in. These poor malnourished wretches, possibly refugees, haven’t managed to shave, their trousers and jackets are far too short and they don’t even have a pair of socks between them. And yet there they are, laughing away and posing for photos. What’s that you say? This is the fashion? Holy God. Their mothers would be mortified.

The form book works out again in the best dressed stakes. Overall winner Ciara Murphy is the ‘Found’ of these competitions - never out of the first three in Grade 1 company all season.

This is the third year in a row that Leopardstown’s big day has been blessed by superb sunshine. As any racecourse manager will tell you it contributes hugely to the atmosphere which is buzzing all day long.

A big cheer goes up as the Champion Stakes gets underway. The race lives up to its billing and delivers an exciting finish. It might not be the result that the home crowd wanted but they give Christophe Soumillon a solid reception. It’s nowhere near that given to Frankie Dettori and Golden Horn a year ago but by French standards it’s probably like Cheltenham.

It was a good result for the race and for the weekend. We need the French and they will come again. Hopefully the 14,550 racegoers will too. It seemed like a bigger crowd - probably because everybody was outside all the time - but it does make you wonder what you have to do to get 15,000 to a flat race fixture.