Laytown Course Guide
The Laytown races are one of the most unique racing events anywhere in the world. The once-a-year meeting takes place on the beach in Laytown in County Meath (45km north of Dublin) in September and is the only race meeting run on a beach under the Rules of Racing in Ireland and Great Britain. There are no permanent facilities in place at Laytown, the race track, enclosures and facilities are constructed for one day every year before being promptly dismantled after the races conclude.
In the past, races took place over distances of up to two miles around a bend, but a bad accident in 1994 brought about major changes to the meeting, with the races being confined to six and seven furlongs on a straight track, field-size limits being tightened, the meeting being confined to more experienced riders and headgear being forbidden for horses.
Advance Going
A seven furlong straight track that is on a tidal beach. Racing takes place on just one day in September each year. The races are restricted to six and seven furlongs.
Laytown was always an interesting track to ride! A lot more attention is paid to safety now than it was in years past and that is obviously a good thing for both horses and riders. The wet sand rides quite firm, so horses that go on fast ground tend to be suited by it. I believe they are hoping to start using starting stalls there, but flag starts have generally been used there and it often offered a good opportunity for flat horses that had an aversion to starting stalls.
View from the saddle: Mick Kinane
Results
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Distance Horse (Going) Date Winning time 6f Lismacbryan Hill (Standard) 04 Sep 2025 1m 10.09s 7f Able Jack (Standard) 01 Nov 2021 1m 23.4s -
Trainer Runners Wins Prize Money Strike-Rate P/L A McGuinness 12 5 €34K 41.67% €8.75 D Marnane 3 2 €13K 66.67% €11.00 E D Delany 4 1 €7K 25% €3.00 J P O'Brien 5 1 €9K 20% -€3.00 E Lynam 4 1 €7K 25% €4.00 Mrs J Harrington 5 1 €7K 20% €18.00 A B Joyce 3 1 €6K 33.33% €1.50 Ian Williams 2 1 €6K 50% €0.75 Ms Claire O'Connell 2 1 €7K 50% €10.00 D Hogan 2 1 €7K 50% €5.50 -
Jockey Runners Wins Prize Money Strike-Rate P/L Adam Caffrey 10 3 €19K 30% €4.75 D King 5 2 €13K 40% €5.50 J A Heffernan 5 2 €13K 40% €9.75 Mr T Hamilton 2 2 €16K 100% €8.00 C J MacRedmond 7 1 €7K 14.29% -€4.50 Mr F Maguire 5 1 €8K 20% €0.50 Jordan Gainford 3 1 €7K 33.33% €4.00 Colin Keane 7 1 €6K 14.29% -€1.00 Luke McAteer 3 1 €7K 33.33% €6.00 D Browne McMonagle 3 1 €6K 33.33% €4.50
Address & Contact
Laytown Strand Races
Strand Road
Laytown
Co. Meath
Ireland
+353 41 984 2111
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