SWINE FLU was the last thing on people’s minds in Co Kildare yesterday, as equine fever began to spread among thousands of punters at Punchestown racecourse.
A dazzling collection of sharp suits, novelty hats and designer dresses was being sported by many of the 16,324 people who turned out for the opening day of the National Hunt Festival, where a combination of horse hooves, wing-tips shoes and stiletto heels tore through the soft terrain.
The overall attendance was down by about 10 per cent on last year’s opening day, but nevertheless Punchestown’s general manager Dick O’Sullivan said he was pleased.
“We are down about 1,800 people on last year,” he said, “but we have lost about 2,500 corporate bookings so the number actually turning out and coming through the gates is up and we’re delighted about that.”
Last year’s festival was the most successful to date, attracting a record breaking 106,000 racegoers over the five days while offering €2.5 million in prize money for the competitors.
A lot has changed over the past 12 months, especially for the banks and property companies that heavily backed up the racing industry during the Celtic Tiger times. In the reserved enclosure it was the Guinness pavilion rather than the champagne tent where punters were crowding to soak up the festival atmosphere.
"There's good positivity about the place," said Seán Gallagher, a building entrepreneur and one of the judges from RTÉ's Dragon's Den, as his shaved head gleamed in the evening sunshine.
“It’s great that even with the air of doom and gloom that’s around the place that people are out and enjoying themselves. The equine industry is great, it provides a lot of employment and enjoyment for people, so it’s good to see it being well supported.”
Fellow Dragon Niall O’Farrell, owner of Blacktie, said he was on a flying visit to Punchestown to put his fashion knowledge to good use.
“I’m here literally for a couple of hours. I’m helping to judge a stock-tying competition for the Hunting Association of Ireland.
“I do love coming down to Punchestown,” he added. “It’s super and it’s going to be a great week because I think the real horseracing fans and pundits come down rather than the social brigade. You’ll find the people here who are the backbone of Irish racing.”
Other familiar faces there included actor James Nesbitt, Football Association of Ireland chief executive John Delaney, athlete Derval O’Rourke and former Premier League footballer and manager Chris Kamara.
Away from the reserved enclosure, the real business of the week was being carried out. Cork bookmaker Ellen Martin said she was pleasantly surprised by the amount of money changing hands.
“Despite the current economic climate, that we all have a pain in our faces hearing about, there was savage money here today, which is a brilliant sign,” she said.
Martin said it had been a good day for the bookies, because a number of short-odds horses had been pipped to the post. Weather permitting, she was looking forward to a busy week.
“Hopefully this sets us up for a good week, but the weather is supposed to turn and that could play a big part, because the women with fake tan on their legs are probably not going to come out in the rain.”
