LAYTOWN may only race once a year, but when it comes to launches there will be few to match that held on Tuesday night at the Glenside Hotel. On the one hand it helped to set the ball rolling for this year’s staging of racing on Thursday, September 6th, but the main reason for the gathering was the launch of an exquisite volume titled Laytown Strand Races – Celebrating 150 Years.

This is the work of John Kirwan and Fiona Ahern, both of whom have pedigree when it comes to writing, producing and editing books. John previously wrote about Laytown’s sister track in Bellewstown, both courses managed by Kevin Coleman.

I was amazed when asking John Kirwan about the amount of time put into producing the almost 280-page book, his casual mention of ‘six months’ was about a quarter of the time I would have envisaged it to take. The professional design has resulted in one of the most eye-catching racing books I have seen for some time, and while many photographers have contributed to it, the work of Caroline Norris is to the fore, not forgetting the amazing shot of Arbitrageur, Johnny King and Aidan Wall on page 146 taken by Healy Photos in 2015. In his forward Horse Racing Ireland’s CEO Brian Kavanagh writes: “Laytown is unique. For 150 years, racing under official Rules has taken place on the beach between the neighbouring villages of Bettystown and Laytown. Nowhere in the world can match that. It’s quite the boast.

“Laytown Races is a huge occasion for the local community, a significant event both socially and economically. And of course, it continues to appeal to so many from further afield.”

He goes on. “The reach of Laytown Races continues to grow and the influx of foreign visitors, especially from our nearest neighbours in Britain, is to be welcomed. And more and more we are seeing racegoers from further afield, mainland Europe and America, as fans from around the world work through their racing bucket list.

“It is a sure sign of progress and the wide appeal of such a special occasion that the race meeting is also now attracting runners from across the Irish Sea, probably something that was not envisaged in the late 1860s.” The late Dandy Nicholls started that ball rolling in 2007 with Quai Du Roi, while there has been a British-trained winner at each of the last four meetings.

The first meeting was held on August 6th, 1868 and consisted of the Laytown Stakes, a hurdle race made up of two heats run over a mile; the Farmers Race and a Pony Race. The latter was again made up of two heats and was for ponies up to 14.2 hands. The conditions for the Farmers Race stated that it was for horses the property of farmers holding lands in the counties of Meath, Louth and Dublin. Thoroughbred horses had to carry 10lbs extra, and the heats, run over a mile each, involved ‘leaping four flights of hurdles’.

Reports on every meeting since 1946 by John Kirwan are very readable and hugely enjoyable, the author noting the presence in 1949 of the Aga Khan and his wife at the races, though the hugely successful owner went home without a winner. Interviews with many people closely associated with the races are also compelling, as is the table of Laytown Legends which is reproduced on this page.

There is no reason not to have the date for this year’s meeting in your diary now, and when you go make sure to pick up a copy of the history of this iconic event.