MANY congratulations to Carol Rooney from Hilltown and Gráinne Carr from Kildare who, respectively, won the Most Stylish Hat and Accessories competition and the Ladies Upstyle Hair competition, both sponsored by Hannontravel.com, at Downpatrick last Sunday.

The track’s Ruth Morrison missed Style Sunday as she was at the Dublin Horse Show where, she finished a highly-creditable third in the final working hunter competition of the day on the eight-year-old gelding, Kroongraaf Hallo.

The class was won by the seven-year-old Irish Draught stallion Gortfree Lakeside Lad, who was winning a performance title for the third year in a row under Co Wicklow’s Linda Murphy. Riding the second-placed Loughnatousa Cassius was Paul Beecher, brother of former Northern-based amateur, Mark.

Ruth’s groom for the day was her brother, Dromore trainer James, who whipped hounds off the back of the bay all winter and so had the horse fit for Ruth to compete when she returned to the saddle following the birth of son Oliver. Not fit enough herself by Balmoral, the ride on Kroongraaf Hallo in the older horses’ working hunter class went to former amateur turned farrier/show jumper Rory Lavery under whom he finish fifth.

Since Dublin, Ruth has returned to Downpatrick as the track prepares for its popular Ladies’ Day meeting on Bank Holiday Monday, August 26th. There will be two great style competitions open to racegoers. The Most Appropriately Dressed Lady can look forward to a seven-night, all-inclusive luxury holiday for two in the Dominican Republic, staying in the four-star Occidental Caribe Hotel with flights and airport transfers included. The winner of the Best Dressed Gentleman competition will be heading in the opposite direction for a seven-night, full-board Greek Isle/Croatia cruise for two.