Irish presence felt at Cheltenham fashion

Away from the racing, the Irish were making their presence felt in the best dressed ladies competition at Cheltenham yesterday.

The winner Camilla Henderson, daughter of trainer Nicky Henderson, wore a vintage hat made by Cara Meehan, a Londoner whose parents are Irish.

And runner-up in the contest was Elaine Waterworth, from Maze, Co Down who wore a green woollen dress that would have done Failte Ireland proud.

Made by her friend Michelle Hannah from Newry, Co Down, it cost £150 (pounds) and was complemented by a £35 hat from Armagh's Donna Mullen.

“We glued the feathers on this morning because it didn’t fit on the plane,” said Waterworth, a florist who is normally seen driving “a white transit van” around Lisburn.

Shoes from LK Bennett in Banbridge that were “discounted right down” completed the outfit, said Waterworth, a keen racegoer at Leopardstown, Navan and her local track Down Royal.

There were delays at Dublin Airport this morning for punters heading for the final two days of racing due to thick fog in England that has engulfed Cheltenham racecourse and nearby airports.

The track was watered yesterday evening after a number of heavy falls on the good ground.

The World Hurdle at 3.20pm is today's main event with an Anglo-Irish clash between Annie Power for Willie Mullins and Big Buck, Paul Nicholls course specialist.