THERE WERE a few celebrities at Punchestown yesterday, but the only celestial body racegoers really wanted to see was legendary steeplechaser Kauto Star.
The Punchestown Festival, on its second day, had given high billing to the horse, a big draw for racing fans at home and abroad. And though the two-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner didn’t deliver on the course, he had the hearts and respect of the crowd.
In advance of the festival’s biggest race, the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup, stands were packed as the contenders were paraded. Women with Philip Treacy hats or feathery fascinators stood shoulder to shoulder with men in wax jackets and green and yellow Kauto-coloured scarves, all straining to glimpse the horse with his jockey Ruby Walsh.
Striding around and leading the seven other contenders, Kauto looked every inch the champion and the crowd looked on in admiration.
A buzz of excitement rippled as the horses lined up. Bill Parker said he had travelled all the way from Somerset in England just to see Kauto.
“He’s the best horse there’s ever been,” he said.
Mother and daughter Jackie Dougan and Bernadette Kennedy had travelled from Worcester and Gloucester.
“He is the best three-miler ever,” they said.
Brendan and Bernie Grehan from Naas had also pinned their hopes on him, though with odds of 4/5, they weren’t expecting to be millionaires.
When the race began, the crowd held its breath, urging Kauto on quietly at first, and then more loudly, willing him to the front of the bunch. But half way around, it became obvious he was fading and the crowd let out a collective groan.
There was drama at the head of the race, when Roberto Goldback fell at the last fence and 20/1 shot Follow the Plan snatched the spoils. But when the winner passed the post the crowd didn’t walk away.
They stood and waited for their favourite and as Kauto Star returned, applause and cheers echoed round the track.
There was applause and cheers too, as well as admiring glances, for the winner of the Arnotts Best Dressed Lady competition, Ciara Devitt, from Shankill, Dublin.
At first glance, her cream lace and chiffon outfit looked like an Edwardian concoction straight from the set of My Fair Lady, but the one-piece was actually a cat suit, its trousered legs imitating the flow of a full-length skirt in yesterday’s cool breeze.
Bought at a vintage fair from Gladis Vintage of Tullamore for €150, it was teamed with lace cream sandals from Aldo in Dundrum, a hired Philip Treacy hat and a cream clutch bag from Dunnes Stores.
The 25-year-old, who has just qualified in 3D design, set off the outfit with a cream lace parasol, a definite nod toward Eliza Doolittle.
Among the 17,000 who attended yesterday, a slight increase on the same day last year, were former taoiseach Albert Reynolds, former footballer Jason Sherlock, Niall Quinn and his wife Gillian, writer Cecilia Ahern and television presenter Colette Fitzpatrick.
Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney presented the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup and Síle Seoige presented the best-dressed award.
