Crowds flock to Punchestown for annual racing festival

The crowds have begun flooding into Punchestown for day one of the 2013 racing festival.

Today's action will see a total of seven races with all eyes focusing on the Irish debut appearance of Sprinter Sacre in the €200,000 Boylesports Champion Chase.

The Nicky Henderson-trained star of last month's Chelteham Festival is the buzz word of this Co Kildare venue today ahead of his 5.30pm start.

“Of all the horses taking part, the presence of Sprinter Sacre at Punchestown today is something that has given us all a huge lift,” course general manager Dick O’Sullivan said in his opening notes.

The seven-year-old is already deemed one of the outstanding jumpers of all time. French-bred, he was purchased as part of a job lot of 21 horses for a paltry €300,000 and has already brought in €730,000 in prize money.

His lends a fitting sense of excitement in a five day programme with over €2m in prize money up for grabs, and a track filled with the cream of Irish and British racing talent.

President Michael D Higgins arrived just after 3pm, around the same time as the sun, dressed in a dark tweed suit and paisley-esque tie.

He didn’t pause to address the crowd but strolled through it, meeting and greeting children and adults alike in a flurry of iPhone camera flashes.

Emer Murphy and Rachel Holmes from Naas, Co Kildare stepped outside just in time, engulfed in the passing wave of people and minders and straight into the arms of the head of State.

“I gave him a kiss; I leaned in, it was all me,” declared Rachel.

“I think he’s great looking, like my granddad.”

And of course today not only about the racing. The 2013 Coast Best Dressed Lady culminates on Friday, with the overall winner – selected from those with the finest daily garb – winning an international jet-setting shopping trip to New York, Madrid and London.

"The weather is good and there seems to be a lot of people here already," said eagle-eyed Andrea Roche, one of three judges alongside model Roz Purcell and TV presenter Pamela Flood.

“We are looking for somebody dressed from the high street and looking really good. The great thing about Punchestown is that you get a great mix of women who come here for the fashion and then you get the punters who come for the racing.”