THE second staging of the Leopardstown Ladies Evening in aid of Breast Cancer research was bigger, better and brighter than its inaugural launch last year and should become an established feature of our summer racing. (Men can come too!)

Again blessed by lovely weather, the evening included the Microsoft Garden Area, performances from vintage jazz trio the Bugle Babes and Hot House Dublin Band and various entertainers out and about.

The Breast Cancer Ireland Race Forward Event included a Moët & Chandon Champagne Reception and a tips for success mentoring session from female industry leaders in the Leopardstown Pavilion, with live cooking stations, prize draws and raffles, roving entertainment and some experts from Henna Ireland creating beautiful artwork and designs.

Chomping at the bit to get things off and running, Triona McCarthy of the Sunday Independent and Xposé, was the hostess with the most-est and took her turn on the podium, pretty in pink, being the theme of the evening.

One of the key speakers was managing director for Microsoft in Ireland, Cathriona Hallanan, a former businesswoman of the year. She spoke of Microsoft’s vision for the workplace in its new building in Leopardstown and of the 2,000 employees from 71 nationalities that make up the company and welcomed anyone to view the fantastic facilities in the DreamSpace concept. “Women need role models,” to empower other women she said.

Breast Cancer Ireland ceo Aisling Hurley was also a speaker and for a role model in the fight back against a cancer diagnosis enter Lynne Lyons, who leapt onstage to provide us with some tips from Ger and Casimiro duly did the business in the second race.

PERFECT NOTE

But the highlight of the evening was key speaker Annemarie O’Brien, hitting the perfect notes of combining personal beliefs and life experiences with confidence and attitude to encourage women of all ages. She might not speak in public very often but there was no doubt it was worth listening when she did.

She touched on many personal situations that had, or were likely to, affect the lives of every woman.

On giving up her name after a career at the top in her own right –“I made a choice to stay home and look after the lads.”

The decision had made to go everywhere with Aidan as a family, “Donnacha was at his first ever Breeders’ Cup when he was five.” She spoke of how she struggled, like any mother, when Sarah went to college, and she no longer any control over her children’s safety.

Words of wisdom for managing people were simple logic – “no one will believe you if you don’t believe in yourself.” Inspire your family and colleagues.

She told of inspiration gained growing up in an all-girl Crowley family where “there was no such thing as a gender bias, or discrimination, or prejudice against women. No hint or even suggestion that the male gender was in any way shape or form, intrinsically superior. In fact, we were probably brought up thinking the opposite.

“In our house there was simply work to be done, and whoever was able did it, driving cattle lorries, calving cows, shearing sheep, breaking yearlings or riding, dad gave the job to who ever wanted to do it. There was never a question of not being able.

“It is the one thing I hope I can instil in my own family, there are no limits to what you can achieve if you work hard and put your mind to it.

“Myself and my sisters are eternally grateful to our parents for empowering us to believe we could do anything we wanted, they taught us that we are not helpless, that we can stand up for ourselves.

“Racing is very competitive – you decide if you are going to make it or not, male, female, small, tall, produce winners or people will move on to someone else.”

The family are no strangers to the threat of sudden injury and illness as she spoke of her sister Monica’s diagnosis but has made a full recovery, of Ana’s fall and Pat Smullen’s diagnosis. “Frances and Pat were overwhelmed by support from every corner of the world.”

She acknowledged what we all know so well, that you are “one false step from disaster” and there’s “no place for egos in racing.”

She was asked to share Aidan’s rules on his philosophy in his great career in the sport. Simple but wise words:

She recalled some reasons for family celebration in recent weeks – Sarah passing exams, Donnacha winning the 2000 Guineas, Rhododendron winning at Newbury, and what it meant to celebrate simply out for dinner as a family.

Away from the headlines, the family matters, they were the centre of everything. She spoke movingly about recent family events that brought home the realisation that many things were more important than racing.

She left the stage as the room rose to its feet to sustained ovation. It was quite a moment.

This was an evening that set the mission of encouraging and inspiring women, and in aid of the most worthy of causes. Its key speaker certainly filled the brief, as a wife, as a mother, as a woman.

You often hear the term – it’s probably meant as a compliment – behind every great man, there’s a great woman. After this evening, though, we could change that to something a more appropriate. Alongside every great man, there’s a great woman.

It was a tremendously uplifting evening with great credit due to Leopardstown, Tamso Doyle and Emer Lynch, all the sponsors who made the effort and initiative to put it all together.