GALWAY had another big win in Dublin last weekend when Renmore milliner Gillian Duggan McCormack won the Champion Hat award at Leopardstown.

The prize was not extraordinary - a hotel stay and champagne - but the publicity was priceless for Laura.

Saturday’s ‘Group 1’ winners in the fashion stakes were Eva Hayes from Limerick and Donnacha Anhold from Sligo. Eva is a regular in these competitions and won at the Irish Derby two years ago.

Donnacha is from an equestrian family, his brother Heinrich invented the StableLab blood testing device for horses.

Another fashion industry professional, Roscommon designer Laura Hanlon, won big at the Curragh on Sunday. Laura knows what it takes to win at the Curragh as one of her hats was worn by best dressed perennial Suzanne McGarry when she won the best dressed prize on Irish Derby day this year.

Sunday’s best dressed man was Christopher Hegarty, a Tyrone footballer who has had stints with Millwall and Rangers.