ON this coming Thursday we will celebrate our 150th anniversary of racing on the beach at Laytown. The fixture has gone from strength to strength over the years, so much so that we now welcome visitors from all over the world. As chairman of the course, I am particularly proud to be involved in such a prestigious occasion.

My own involvement with the races dates back to my early childhood when the whole family would attend every year. We lived in Drogheda but moved down to Laytown for three months each summer - June, July and August.

My father was medical officer for both Laytown and Bellewstown racecourses, so we were regular racegoers. As we got older Dad got us a pony, which we rode on the beach during the summer. I went on to compete in pony club and show jumping, as well as enjoying a day’s hunting.

I began riding out for the Delaneys when I went into secondary school. The Delaneys have the distinction of owning the oldest set of colours in Irish racing; black with a gold cap.

UNDERSTUDY

After I finished school I got a job working for the Boyne Valley Honey Company and later Drogheda and Dundalk Dairies (now Avonmore). At 19, I approached the Turf Club seeking employment but they had nothing available at that time. However, I was asked if I would be interested in training to become an understudy for a number of roles and that is how I eventually found myself working in racing.

I started out testing horses in the veterinary box, before moving on to take up various positions including starter, clerk of the scales and clerk of the course. I worked at Galway and Leopardstown for 26 years, the Curragh (20 years), Punchestown (15), Fairyhouse (20) and Navan (25).

I also spent 20 years as manager of Bellewstown racecourse and the same period in a similar role at Laytown. Since I gave up that latter position I have been chairman of Laytown.

BOOK LAUNCH

Two weeks ago we had the very successful launch of our new book “Laytown Strand Races - Celebrating 150 Years.” The publication, written by John Kirwan and Fiona Ahern, was very well received by an audience of over 350 people. Attendees came not just from racing but from all walks of life including, politics and the arts.

Ted Walsh launched the book while Des Scahill was on MC duties. On Thursday afternoon we will be making a one off donation of €5,000 to the Irish Injured Jockeys Fund, which Ruby Walsh will accept on their behalf. We have been very lucky with the weather in recent years, so hopefully that will again be the case on Thursday afternoon.

English runners have been a regular occurrence of late, ever since Dandy Nicholls paved the way five or six years back. Indeed, there has been an English winner in each of the last few years! Jamie Osborne has been a great supporter of the meeting. No doubt he will have a couple of entries next week.

INTERNATIONAL CONNECTION

Members of the European Beach Race Association will be our guests on Thursday, as we continue to strive to learn from one another. There are three racecourses in Spain, two in France and one in Germany.

I, myself, have attended some of those fixtures and found them invaluable. Prior to a visit to Spain a number of years back, we held our races on a round course. I learned that it was much safer to race on a straight track and that was subsequently implemented at Laytown. Hopefully our guests this week will leave with some valuable insights that they can take back to their own tracks and help bring about further improvements.

Racegoers on Thursday are asked to take public transport where possible, as parking is limited. We run an excellent shuttle bus service from both Laytown and Bettystown, while the train service from both Dublin and Drogheda is also of the highest order.

Matthews Coaches pick up racegoers from Cumberland Street and drop them right at the entrance to the track. The bus will collect punters at the same location after the final race and transport them back to the capital.

Joe Collins was in conversation with John O’Riordan