ADO McGuinness enhanced his fine recent Laytown record by saddling a double on the beach.

Dream Today started the ball rolling in the Sun, Sea And Tote Guarantee Handicap. He travelled well to win off a mark of 80 on the beach last year and did the same off 69 with Cian MacRedmond’s 5lb claim factored in.

The 6/4 favourite arrived into the lead in smooth fashion two and a half furlongs out and saw it out nicely to score by a length and a quarter for Shamrock Thoroughbreds.

McGuinness said: “He travelled and he did the same last year. We waited for here for him.

“He has been a great horse for the lads and has won plenty of races for them and has given them great fun. They love coming here and having a winner.”

When asked to sum up Laytown for anyone who has never been before, he replied: “Olly Murphy, the National Hunt trainer has brought over a bunch of National Hunt owners for today. I met Ian Williams, who has no runners, and he came over with his son and partner. It is a unique place and you have to come to it to see it.

“I love it, I train beside the beach and I have been very successful here. It has been a very lucky place for me. If a place is lucky, you have to keep coming back!”

Gamble

McGuinness’ Allo Arry then landed a gamble in the Pride Of Place Maiden over seven furlongs. He won a final furlong battle with even-money favourite Expound by a head and rewarded support from 13/2 to 3/1.

“He (Adam Caffrey) was very good on him. He’s difficult to train and just hard to ride out, but Adam has done a good job on him - he rides him out every day. Fair play to him, he knows him well,” said the trainer.

“It was great for the owners (Sabina Kelly), they kept persisting. I think he is well handicapped, he will win a handicap somewhere along the way. He’ll be a nice Dundalk horse for the winter as well.”

THERE were also doubles on the card for jockeys Daniel King and Tom Hamilton.

King was on board Jered Maddox (4/1) who thoroughly enjoyed his first visit to Laytown beach in the Tote Never Beaten By SP Handicap over six furlongs.

Once he hit the front a furlong and a half out, the result was in little doubt. The seven-year-old gelding powered five and a half lengths clear to reward the City Equine II Syndicate.

Trainer David Marnane said: “Trainer error, I probably should have brought him here years ago! They either like it or they don’t and he obviously likes it.

“He had a good run the other day, it was a lovely run in Cork (in second) and he was good for here then. He was guaranteed the run.

“He’s (Daniel King) a very talented rider and his brother Connor had an awful lot of success for us, a great pair of hands, and this kid is equally as good. He’ll probably go to Dundalk.”

Oracle

A drop into claiming company worked the oracle for General Idea (9/2) who obliged under King for the Premier Racing Club.

The four-year-old gelding closed a quarter of a mile out and worked his way to the front approaching the final furlong. He kept on well in the final furlong to open up by three and a half lengths in the Buckets Of Value At Tote.ie Claiming Race.

Trainer Adrian Joyce said: “He’s a lovely horse and he worked really well the other morning and I would have been shocked if he didn’t win the likes of this. He has been rated a lot higher, but at this level he is well able.

General Idea was claimed by Ian Patrick Donoghue, while runner-up Yester was the subject of a friendly claim by James McAuley, who also claimed third-placed Red Cymbal.

Hamilton holds tight for two winners

TOM Hamilton had an eventful ride on Punk Poet in the Oneills.com (Q.R.) Handicap as his saddle slipped upon leaving the stalls.

Punk Poet disputed the lead with Eastern Wind and held the sole lead at the halfway stage. Things didn’t look comfortable for Hamilton in the final quarter of a mile, but he maintained the partnership, and the duo swept home by three and a quarter lengths at 7/1 for owner Aileen Lynam.

Eddie Lynam said: “I’ve never had a slipped saddle before that I can remember. This is a big fat fella (Punk Poet)! When I was saddling him, I said ‘they’re a bit tight’ and I let the girths out. The jockey, in fairness, got them checked at the start.

“He only jumped out and it (saddle) has gone. Sarah (Lynam, daughter) picked the jockey and said he was very good and I said to Sarah two and a half out ‘you know nothing’ but, in fairness to him, there was nothing he could do!”

In hand

Joseph O’Brien’s Vega Magnifico had plenty in hand on ratings in the Gilna’s Cottage Inn (Q.R.) Race and Hamilton kept it simple by sending him on inside the final three furlongs. The even-money favourite scored by two and three quarter lengths to ensure O’Brien has now trained a winner at every Irish track.

Hamilton, in the Rectory Road Holdings Limited colours, said: “He travelled easily and when I said ‘go’, I just wanted to be positive on him and make up his mind. His class pulled through and he put the race to bed.”