“I’m alive so far,” said Mandy Maher, the Galway Races Ladies Day head judge, as the fashionistas strutted their stuff behind the Millennium Stand at Ballybrit Racecourse on Thursday morning.“I don’t know if I’ll be saying the same thing at half-three today, when I’m announcing the winner,” she laughed. The first race on day four of the summer festival went to post at 2.10pm – but the jockeying for position in the main event began hours earlier. Gates opened at 11.15am and judging of outfits started soon after in the Beauty Paddock and Fashion Marquee. Hundreds of women, and a handful of men too, had registered for the Best Dressed competitions but, in a new departure, walk-ins on the day were also accepted. White was in vogue at Royal Ascot in June, according to Maher, but there was “lots of colour and polka dots” on show at Ballybrit this week. [ In pictures: Lisa Walsh scoops €10,000 prize on Ladies Day at the Galway RacesOpens in new window ]Maher wore a one-off autumnal dress, designed by the late Irish designer Paul Costelloe, and paired it with a headpiece by Roscommon milliner Laura Hanlon. A judge for 24 years, she is aware that the public and contestants are judging her, too. “I’m under no illusions to think any different. It’s huge pressure,” she said. “Women can be competitive. Some are here for the craic but others are here to compete and win.” In the Bookmakers’ Ring, Brenda Fearon from Armagh said when she started working with Louth bookmaker Fionnan McCoy a decade ago, she was one of only a handful of women bookies. Armagh's Brenda Fearon, who works with Co Louth bookmaker Fionnan McCoy, at her pitch in the main Bookmaker Ring at Ballybrit Racecourse on Thursday. Punters, especially novices or those with children, find women bookmakers are more approachable, she said. It has its downsides, though. “The big punters, unless they know you and know you well, they wouldn’t go to a woman. ‘He’s the boss; I’ll go to him. She couldn’t be the boss’. It’s an old fashioned thing,” said Fearon. Joan and Gerard Murtagh from Kildysart. Clare couple Joan and Gerard Murtagh from Kildysart celebrated their wedding anniversary at the track. They honeymooned at the Galway Races 48 years ago and have returned to the festival every summer since. “We love racing,” he said. “The atmosphere. The style. The buzz,” added Joan. Ann Canavan, a Cork woman, and her husband Peter, who live in Bearna, Co Galway, have attended Ballybrit every year for 41 years. She comes for the style and to meet friends. “I’m trying to hit the big jackpot,” said Peter. Cork native Ann Canavan with her husband Peter Canavan. On the track, Cork jockey Daniel King was the king of Ballybrit. The 21-year-old from Kilbrin followed up Wednesday’s win on Alexander King in the Tote Galway Plate with a thrilling triumph on the Tony Martin trained Putapoundinthejar in Thursday’s feature, the Guinness Galway Hurdle worth €270,000. Daniel King celebrates winning the Guinness Galway Hurdle Handicap in Galway on Thursday. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho “It’s magical stuff. The stuff of dreams,” said King of his famous double. Meanwhile, milliner Fiona Rafter did a double of sorts in the less lucrative – but equally competitive – fashion competitions. One of her creative headpieces was worn by Maksuda Akhter who won the Best Hat competition worth €3,000. Winner of Ladies' Day Best Dressed Lisa Walsh. Photograph: Andrew Downes/xposure The Best Dressed Lady, Meath accountant Lisa Walsh scooped €10,000 with a custom gold dress by Only One Ashley and a Rafter hat. Racecourse chief executive Michael Moloney said a combination of “nostalgia and history” continued to attract tens of thousands to the Galway Races, including 24,128 on Ladies Day, down by about 200 compared with last year.“The colour and style just adds to everything that’s happening on the track,” added Moloney.