A BEAUTIFUL early autumn afternoon provided the ideal backdrop for racing’s annual day on the beach and a bumper crowd greeted a successful English raider, plus a first for champion jockey Joseph O’Brien and a double for trainer Pat Martin.

Richard Ford made the trip over from Lancashire well worthwhile when Seamster blazed a trail in the opening Tote Mobile Betting Handicap. Colin Keane’s mount held a clear advantage over a furlong out and the 3/1 favourite kept on well to beat Doonard Prince by nearly two lengths.

Ford said: “We’ve had this in mind for a little while and Philip (Bamford) is a very sporting owner. It’s a bit strange as the turf mark over here is what you run off on the beach. He’s 15lb lower on turf than the all-weather in Britain but he got a compromise mark here of 10lb lower.

“I was a bit worried that he was not allowed to wear blinkers as he’s worn them about 26 times but was hoping that the weight advantage would compensate for not having the blinkers. I’m staying locally with Eamonn Delaney. The horses are going back this evening but I’m staying on for the motor bike road racing later this week. Hopefully, the bikes will go as well as the horses!”

Joseph O’Brien is just one step away from partnering a winner at all Irish racecourses holding flat racing (Tramore is the only one remaining) after Sister Slew justified strong support in the Marquees Nationwide Claiming Race. The Gordon Elliott-trained filly was the champion jockey’s only ride on the card, and punters took the hint, backing him into 9/4 favourite (from 11/4). Owned by EasiFix hurdle producer Tom Howley, the daughter of Kheleyf was never far from the pace and stayed on well inside the final furlong to beat Like Magic by three lengths.

“Laytown is something different and it’s nice to ride a winner here. She travelled fine and I probably got to the front a bit sooner than ideal. In fairness she stuck it out well to the line,” said O’Brien. The winner was claimed for €5,000 by Martin McManus, while fourth-placed Stoichkhov was reclaimed by his connections at the same price.

Pat Martin has enjoyed plenty of success over the years at Laytown but bridged a gap of five years here without success in some style by saddling a near 34/1 double with Our Max and Togoville.

The grey Our Max (100/30) travelled smoothly throughout in the Gilna’s Cottage Inn Maiden, and shot clear a furlong out for Shane Foley to beat Al Fahidi by three and a half lengths. “I was a bit concerned it might be too quick for him. He’d a lovely first run for me at Leopardstown but was then a bit slow at the stalls a few times,” said Martin before adding, “unfortunately, his owner Patrick McCann couldn’t make it here today. He’s a good supporter of mine and sponsors the Armagh team.”

McCann also owns another grey, Togoville, in partnership with fellow Armagh man Paul Kelly, and the 7/1 chance just held off the final furlong challenge of Smoker by half a length in the Hibernia Steel (Q.R.) Race.

Martin said: “I’ll have to get more grey horses! I was really happy with him as he’d been working well with Our Max. He had a bit to find but had form over seven furlongs. This place is a bit of a novelty for horses and they either like it or they don’t.”

CHANGE OF FORTUNE

Chris Geoghegan enjoyed a welcome change of fortune when partnering his first winner of the season on Mr Bounty in the O’Neills Sports Handicap. The tall apprentice has struggled with his weight and was having his first ride in two months but was seen to very good effect as the 6/1 chance kept on well under pressure inside the final furlong to beat Merry Mast by a length and a quarter.

Winning trainer Michael O’Callaghan said: “That’s a nice birthday present as I’m 26 today. A lot of mine have been finishing second and hitting the crossbar, so it’s great to get a winner.” O’Callaghan, who is only in his second full season training on the Curragh, added: “He won at Kempton which is quite a fast track and coming here I thought it would suit him. He could be back here again next year!”

Pat Shanahan, a winner here in his previous career in the saddle, recorded his first training success at Laytown when the front-running Prince Jock (12/1) bravely held off Korbous by a neck in the Barry Matthews Appreciation (Q.R.) Handicap under Roger Quinlan.

“He’s very genuine but is a bit messy in the stalls and no stalls here was a help. Most of his wins were on quick ground so he loved it there today. He’s in a claimer at Clonmel next week so we’ll see what the boss (Jimmy Long of Thistle Bloodstock) wants to do.”