151st Laytown Strand Races launched
The 151st annual Laytown Strand races were launched tonight in Gilna's Village Inn close to the historic venue with the action set for Wednesday 11th September.
Dessie Scahill was a popular host for the evning and he conducted a number of interviews (see FB posts attached) and also announced an innovative promotion that will benefit the housing estates in the locality.
Some 20 estates were entered into a draw for the Gilna's Village Inn Pride of Place race that will comprise one of the six on the card on WEdnesday 11th September.
There were 10 winners in the draw - 10 horses run in each race at Laytown - and the contenders are listed below.
Each estate was paired with a horse nos 1-10 on the card in the order they were drawn and the first three home will win prizes for the respective estates to the value of €400, €200 and €100.
There will also be a Best Dressed Lady in Laytown competition.
Local official Joe Collins answered various questions.
He briefly outlined the tremendous support that is received from HRI and from the foremen at tracks like Navan, Fairyhouse,
Bellewstown and Punchestown to make the day run like clockwork.
"We usually only have about a three-hour window for the racing and the track cannot be prepared until the tide goes out," he explained.
"We had a lot of interest this yuear already froma Japanese TV crew who arrived here a few weeks ago to llok at the track, but all we could show them was the strand.
"Everything is brought in for the day and it's important that we keep this historic one-day event going, as I said it's all due to the great co-operation we receive," he added.
Parking will be available locally, but there is also good public transport with a bus service from Drogheda every 15 minutes stopping outside the gates of the enclosure and also trains from Drogheda and Dublin with shuttle buses from the Laytown station to the enclosure.
Meath Co Council chair Wayne Harding with race officials Joe Collins and Kevin Coleman
along with representatives of the winning estates - see list below.
The local estates that were ballotted into the race were
1. Netterville & Victoris Terrace.
2. Alverno Heights.
3. Backlanes.
4. St Columba's Villas.
5. St Patrick's Square.
6. South Shore.
7. Castlemary.
8. Station Road.
9. Beach Grove.
10. Sli Ultan.
The estates not drawn will each receive two tickets to the raceday on Wednesday 11th September.
TRAINER TALK AND ESTATE DRAW