Horse racing enthusiasts together with a host of well-known Irish personalities from the worlds of business, finance, art, fashion, music and entertainment came together for Breast Cancer Ireland’s annual RCSI Race Against Breast Cancer Day at Leopardstown on Sunday, 31 October.

The event, now in its fifth year, raised over €150,000 which will go towards funding vital breast cancer research aiding speedier discoveries and ultimately more effective treatments of those diagnosed.

The fashion stakes were high with a number of glamorous ladies adding a fun and funky Halloween twist to their look. Once again this year, style Judges Louis Copeland of Louis Copeland Tailors and Kate Gleeson of Diffusion Boutique had the difficult task of selecting the 'Best Dressed Man' and 'Best Dressed Lady' and it was Barbara O' Reilly Hyland from Wicklow and the dapper Greg Moore who won the two titles.

Spotted enjoying a flutter were; top model Pippa O’Connor and her fiancé Brian Ormond; socialite and recent star of 'Celebrity Salon' Virginia Macari; wore a chic witches hat given the day it was. Other well-known guests included beauty guru Triona McCarthy; model Sarah McGovern and TV3's Colette Fitzpatrick, Aisling O’Loughlin and Anna Daly.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer related deaths in women in Ireland, with mortality 33% higher in Ireland than in the USA. Though management has improved over the years, breast cancer continues to be responsible for an average of 644 Irish female deaths each year. While research into breast cancer progresses at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, the principle aim is through collaboration with the other designated cancer centres in Ireland, to establish the country’s first ever National Bio Bank of tissue samples from the 2,400 cases of breast cancer diagnosed annually thereby helping to speed up discovery and ultimately create more effective treatments for patients diagnosed.

Breast Cancer Ireland (BCI) is a charity set up to raise money for breast cancer research. It is administered through RCSI.