Bastille Day, 14th July, saw the return of the sunshine for the IACT Race Night at Leopardstown where almost 30 members and guests enjoyed a full evening's racing, with a panoramic view of the final straight, from the comfort of the glass walled Pavilion.

Over a 3 course dinner and evening drinks, the eager punters pored over the race card and along with insider knowledge gleaned from the resident tipster, or any other info (perhaps the French name of their favoured nag?) that took their fancy, bets were placed and fortunes made. Well, it is all relative, but the table that got on a lucky 20-1 bet in the last race certainly weren’t complaining ! The Pavilion provided easy access to the racetrack and the bookies outside for those who wanted, while the Tote betting inside provided for a more relaxed experience.

The festivities concluded with the now customary post-race concert, with the Liberties' own songstress Imelda May belting out the hits to the crowd of over 5,000. The balmy summer evening contributed greatly to the atmosphere where the crowd swayed to the music and over a glass or two, discussed their winners and their also-rans.

The treasurer's maxim that 'past performance is not indicative of future results' may apply to the some of the horses running, but certainly not to the evening itself. We look forward to another successful running of the IACT Race Night next year. Who knows, we might see you there...?