Winners on Derby day

It's Budweiser Irish Derby afternoon at The Curragh and The Irish Times is interviewing the winner.

Not the winning trainer or jockey, mind, or even the winning horse. But the winner of the "Most Stylish" competition, Dr Shruthi Gurswamy, a psychiatrist at St Vincent's Hospital.

For a news, as distinct from racing, correspondent, this is the most important event of the day. The Irish Times, however, is out of its depth. "My shoes are Jimmy Choo," explains Dr Gurswamy, who used to be a stylist.

"Jimmy who?", inquires The Irish Times, to the amusement of all present. It is obvious, apparently, that he does not watch Sex And The City.

Dr Gurswamy shared the award, a style makeover worth €2,000 from the Design Centre, with her partner, Mr Brian Lineen, who is only marginally less out of his depth in the Parade Ring, where the competition takes place, than The Irish Times.

"And how would you describe your outfit?", the Dublin-based businessman is asked.

"Navy suit, yellow tie," is the response.

"And did you, em, choose it yourself?", asks The Irish Times, warming to his new-found role as a fashion correspondent.

"I did," says Mr Lineen, still not quite entering into the spirit things. And it quickly transpires he is exaggerating, when his partner reveals that she chose the tie. It was Mr Lineen's first time to win a fashion competition and, he readily admitted, he will be "slagged about it" for some time to come.

He had the last laugh yesterday, however.

Asked who he intended to back in the big race, he offered the view that Grey Swallow was a good each-way bet.

How right he was. The Dermot Weld-trained colt, a 10/1 outsider, saw off a top quality field to take the €736,000 winner's prize in the Derby.

A delighted Mr Weld recalled afterwards how the horse was "lucky to be alive", never mind heading for the winner's enclosure on Derby day.

Prior to what was to have been its first race at the Curragh, the horse in the next stall became excited and jumped out, landing on top of Grey Swallow.

"He had quite a fright that day and it took him a while to get his confidence back. That's why I always load him last in the stalls," he explained.

The horse, which was bred by Weld's mother Gita and is only the third grey to win an Irish Derby, would not be retired to stud, he revealed.

"It was always the plan with this horse to race him and enjoy him."

Among the record attendance of 33,810 were the former champion boxer Chris Eubank and the Hollywood actress Mimi Rogers.

As is usual on Derby day, the Cabinet was well represented, with the Tánaiste, Ms Harney; the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy; the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell and the Minister for Arts and Culture, Mr O'Donoghue in attendance.

"The left of the Cabinet is nowhere to be seen," declared Mr McDowell. And that, after The Irish Times had approached promising not to talk politics on his day off.

Accompanied by his wife, Prof Niamh Brennan, he was having a "disastrous" afternoon. "I'm picking losers all day."

His more left-wing Cabinet colleagues, no doubt, will be sorry to hear it.