Olivia Clayton, from Worcester, scooped the Bollinger Best Dressed prize at the Kildare venue on Wednesday, wowing judges with her DIY headpiece and Ireland-inspired look
An Englishwoman emerged victorious in the style competition at another glorious sunny day during the Punchestown Festival on Wednesday.
Olivia Clayton, originally from Worcester in England, claimed the Bollinger Best Dressed award at the County Kildare racecourse with her Irish-themed ensemble.
She incorporated the colour green throughout her outfit, drawing inspiration from a tree growing in her mother’s garden, while also demonstrating some resourceful creativity.
After failing to locate a suitable hat, Olivia fashioned her own headpiece from scratch, beginning with a foundation and embellishing it with silk cream and green hydrangea blooms to echo the garden motif.
Olivia, who frequently attends the Cheltenham Festival, commented on her victory: “Amazing, honestly, I feel so lucky not only to be a finalist but to come out on top. It’s such an honour.”
“The Irish girls really bring their absolute best, so it’s a privilege. Thank you very much.”
The Worcester native impressed lead judge Jess Colivet, who was accompanied by the In the Edit pair Hayley Nolan and Carol St John, alongside Marietta Doran.
Hayley Nolan remarked about Olivia’s ensemble: “It was actually a standout look. As soon as we saw her amazing hat just caught our eye. And it turns out she actually made it herself, which I think is incredible.”
Jess Colivet continued: “Olivia brought a really fresh, contemporary perspective and it was very fashion-forward. She wasn’t afraid to push the boundaries.
“There was a real sense of modern style in her look, and I just love the fact that she made the headpiece herself.
“I love the tailoring. When I looked closely at the print, it really stood out, and she wore her look with such confidence. What a gracious winner.”
The Bollinger Best Dressed competition carries on this Thursday, building towards its climax on Ladies Day this Friday.
The ultimate champion will be rewarded with a trip for two to the Bollinger Estate, including flights to Paris, a stay in a five-star hotel, Michelin-star dining, a private chauffeur, an exclusive Champagne Bollinger experience, and a year’s supply of Bollinger.
On the course itself, the headline event, the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup, had been promoted as a showdown between Willie Mullins’ stable stars Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File.
However, it was Cheltenham Gold Cup champion Gaelic Warrior who dominated proceedings once more, surging ahead to claim a commanding triumph under jockey Paul Townend.
Owner Rich Ricci reflected on the victory, saying: “We’ve never won this race before. It was very sporting of JP to run his horse, the ground probably didn’t suit him, but he’s a fantastic horse.
“I’m so pleased to win it. I’ve not been here since Ruby (Walsh) retired in 2019. I’ve been busy and we had coronavirus > covid and those kind of things.
“The people here are brilliant and I’m thrilled to win the race. I couldn’t be more delighted.”
This represented an uncommon positive outcome for those backing the favourite on a day that otherwise favoured the bookies, with numerous outsiders crossing the line first, leaving the majority of punters bewildered. Bookmakers celebrated as winners came in at odds of 33/1, 5/1, 18/1, 14/1 and 7/1, with Gaelic Warrior being the sole favourite to deliver on the day.
Racing action resumes on Thursday with eight scheduled races, headlined by the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Champion Stayers’ Hurdle.
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