Thursday – Bob and Julie come out on top at the Punchestown Festival today!

An exciting eight race card was enjoyed by 19,548 patrons at the Punchestown Festival today.

The feature contest, the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle saw Bob Olinger come out on top for owner Brian Acheson, trainer Henry de Bromhead and jockey Darragh O’Keeffe.

The win completed a treble on the card for in-form jockey Darragh O’Keeffe. O’Keeffe has narrowed the gap to three (102-99) behind Jack Kennedy in the jump jockeys’ championship which will make the next two days very exciting indeed.

County Wexford Fashion Designer, Julie Caulfield won the Bollinger Best Dressed Competition today wearing her own 40’s and 50’s inspired design. She teamed it with a boater style hat by Galway Milliner Catriona King Designs and customised her bag with dead stock fabric from last season’s collection. She is fast-tracked to the grand finale tomorrow when the competition off the track will peak in the Bollinger Garden as the competition kicks off at 4.30pm.

There were 19,548 in attendance today compared with 20,228 on the corresponding day last year however, accumulatively the festival is ahead in the numbers game going into Ladies Day and Family Day. Traditionally, Friday and Saturday are the busiest days of the festival in recent years.

Tomorrow, (Friday) the first of an eight racecard goes to post at the later time of 3.40pm, featuring the Boodles Champion Hurdle at 6.40pm for which 7 runners are declared. Patrons are encouraged to come racing early and stay late on Ladies Day, the social highlight of the season. For more information and updates on the Punchestown Festival visit www.punchestown.com.