Race day gallops ahead

Attention ladies, get ready to don your finest attire at the races next month!

Details have been announced for a Most Stylish Lady event at the Race and Taste Festival taking place at Cork Racecourse in Mallow from 10-11 May.

Joining Cork chefs Lilly Higgins, Rory O’Connell and Martin Shanahan over the course of the two days will be rugby pundit, Brent Pope, who will help sommeliers in the demonstration area to talk through some of the most sought after wines on the market.

The Festival will also see the official opening of a new seven-furlong flat track, set to be unveiled during an evening’s flat racing on 10 May.

The Frank & Walters will get proceedings underway on the Friday evening with their first ever show at Cork Racecourse.

Saturday will see seven National Hunt races at the track.

TV presenter Maura Derrane will judge the glamorous competition and the winner will win a stay in one of Fota Island Resort's penthouse suites for two nights.

A tailored spa package will also await for two, where a variety of treatments and award winning products can be enjoyed.

There will be a glass of champagne for the first 100 ladies that register on the Friday night.

Séamus Leahy, Director of Marketing, Fota Collection said: “It has been a great pleasure to work closely with the team at Cork Racecourse Mallow, they have been incredibly helpful and wonderful to deal with.

“We were very lucky to be chosen as sponsors for this event and we can only hope our luck continues on race day.”

Over thirty food producers will have stalls at the racecourse over the course of the weekend and the festival will have free admission for children under 14.

Transport updates will be announced soon.

Tickets for Festival can be purchased in advance online at the websitecorkracecourse.ie.