BETTYVILLE PARK was the centre of the world of fashion on Friday night last with the staging of the Littlewoods Ireland best dressed lady competition at the first evening national hunt fixture of July.

The 15 finalists were 'paraded' in the winners' enclosure after the fifth race, with thewinner, Sarah Connors, being chosen by Anna Daly from TV3. With a bumper crowd being swelled by free entry to the racetrack on the evening for every woman, racecourse management reported above average Tote figures, betting ring results and attendance figures.

The seven-race all national hunt card was very competitive even after some races saw a high level of withdrawals. Many of these 'no shows' can be put down to the ground which on the evening was good to firm and obviously not to the liking of some trainers.

But as is always the case, when you win, the ground is deemed to be perfect and used as an excuse when not managing to get your head in front. In the betting ring we saw a couple of long shots winning but punters did manage to beat the bookies three times with their favourites.

The evening's highlight was the Irish Daily Mirror-sponsored Ladies' Day Handicap Chase run over 15 fences and three miles and one furlong. With 15 runners and over seven and a half thousand euro on offer to the winner, this was an ultra-competitive affair, won in a very convincing manner by 'Alfa Beat'.

The grey son of 'Environment Friend' was carrying a 14 lb. penalty for winning at Roscommon last time out and, having been towards the rear for the first couple of circuits, the sixyear-old jumped his way into contention and quickly put matters beyond doubt and won snugly.

Trained in Co. Limerick by Charles Byrnes and well handled by three pound claimer, Brian Byrnes, this horse could go to Galway next. With the winning trainer, Byrnes, on duty at Bellewstown where he also had a winner in the shape of ' Cyborg', the owner, Barry Healy, did the necessary interview at the track and commented: 'that was expected, we thought that he would run well. He loves the ground and we will see what the handicapper does next'.

Racing opened with a 33/1 shock winner in the shape of ' Killoggan Lass', owned by well-known Fethardon-Sea man, Peter O'Loughlin, in the mares' maiden. This seven-year-old 'Luso' mare was home bred by O'Loughlin who raced the horse's mother, 'Missfethard-On-Sea' and her sister, 'Alice Cooney', to win.

This mare, trained in Co. Tipperary by Michael Moran, had shown snatches of form but went off friendless in the betting ring, only to stride clear three hurdles from home and win by a very easy nine lengths under Paddy Mangan. A delighted owner, sporting an arm cast following an accident on his home farm, was thrilled to win and commented: 'she will try her hand to get a few more wins before breeding'.

This relationship between the winning owner and trainer is fortuitous to say the least with O'Loughlin commenting: 'I have never even been to his yard, we were just introduced by a mutual acquaintance who was breaking a horse for me and I sent him the horse'.

Another local winner came in the very next race, the Ferrycarrig Geldings Maiden, where the James Cousins-trained ' Persian Gayle' ran out a snug winner under Niall Madden at 7/1. This 'Lord Americo' six-year-old gelding had been placed four times in his sevenrace career prior to this and was well supported to win in the colours of a Wexford/Laois syndicate. Represented by Adamstown man, Ger Mackey, the future of the horse is unclear as all winning connections slipped away into the evening without comment.

Brian Redmond from Creagh in Gorey seems to have made the track his own with the sevenyear-old 'Beauchamp King' gelding, 'Cylinder Rattler'. Running in the Nick O'Donnell Memorial Handicap Hurdle, this horse was winning the race for the second year in a row and carried the eleven stone, nine pounds and significant money as co-favourite with real aplomb to win under the stylish Paul Townend at 9/2.

Redmond, who runs a fuel distribution business in Gorey, said he was thrilled to win again. He purchased the horse as a threeyear-old at Scarvagh Stud and has now won three times at his local track. Winning trainer Phillip Rothwell was on hand in the winners' enclosure to state: 'I thought he would struggle following his 8 lb. penalty and was hoping he would be placed. He will have a bit of a break and maybe get a run in Galway,' he said before concluding, 'he has a low handicap chase mark in Britain and I would like to exploit it'. So be warned!

Paul Magnier from Co. Kildare is a regular visitor to the track and often wins a race or two with his horses, and he went in again with 'Carutomark' in the Beginners' Chase. Ridden by Philip Enright, the six-year-old grey mare, in foal to 'Mr Dinos', put her best foot forward to win her first-ever national hunt race.

Owned by Stable Gate Racing Club, Magnier indicated that she will race on for another month or six weeks while also adding: 'being in foal has made her honest, so we will see how it goes'. The last fence was omitted in this race which may have encouraged the flat-bred mare to use her pace to get up and win.

The tightest finish of the evening came in the St. Patrick's Rock Handicap Chase where 'Silence Speaks' gave Co. Tipperary Restricted Permit holder, Denis Prendergast, a first win at the track under Robert Jones by a short head. This 16/1 chance was lucky to find room at the end of the race to shade the Larry Byrne-trained 'Pipers Blaze', under John Cullen.

With the last fence omitted again due to an injured jockey, a real battle ensued with a least five horses coming around the fence, with John Cullen being banned for two days for careless riding on 'Pipers Blaze'. In the melee, 'Courella' came down, giving Alan Crowe a lucky escape from serious injury, but I'm not sure that the horse was as lucky.

With the final race, the Campile Bumper, falling to the Willie Mullinstrained 'Maggie Connolly' at 2/1 favourite under his son Patrick, the 'Definite Article' mare, a winning debutant, could have a bright future following this win.

Following one of the most successful evenings at the track, management will be hoping that everyone will return on July 23 for another episode in this summer's balmy Friday evening racing at Bettyville.