Crowds flock to the races

They may not have known their horse from their elbow, as many admitted, but the hundreds who attended the 'Discover Meath and the Boyne Valley' day at Fairyhouse racecourse on Sunday certainly enjoyed their day out, even with the Brazilian-type weather. Flat racing at Fairyhouse wouldn't always draw a big crowd, but the presence of Aidan O'Brien's Georgebernardshaw in the feature Belgrave Stakes, combined with the Discover Meath exhibition, meant that the turnstiles were twice as busy as ever. And while Declan McDonogh and Johnny Murtagh were notching up successes on the racetrack, some more peculiar antics were going on in the enclosure, with at one stage a knight in shining armour involved in a sword fight with a gorilla, being watched over by a monk carrying the Book of Kells. The gorilla turned out to be Dave Robinson of Rathbeggan Lakes in disguise, while in another corner of the marquee, a coven of witches were busy promoting the Causey Farm Experience. On Sunday, up to 50 of the county's hotel destinations, tourist attractions and craft producers had stands in the Jameson Stand, marquee and gazebo village, with some of the hotels literally bringing the kitchen sink with them! The Dunboyne Castle Hotel and Spa had a full antique-style bath promoting its luxury treatments, while Knightsbrook Hotel in Trim went one better and brought the bed and all with them. Jim Carlton of Cusack Hotels supplied the strawberries and cream while Olivia Duff and her kitchen team from the Headfort Arms were busy giving cookery demonstrations. The day began with racing talks for children by Mary Lou Racing Talks, explaining all about silks, horses and the races, followed by bodhran lessons by Causey Farm, a presentation on the heritage of the Boyne Valley by the OPW, music by Fiona Melady from Kells, who will be appearing at Le Chéile in Oldcastle, karaoke, and harpist Shauna Davey on behalf of the Bord na Mona Navan Choral Festival. There were food demonstrations by the Headfort, CityNorth Hotel, Station House Hotel, Kilmessan, George's Patisserie, and Knightsbrook Hotel, while there were demonstrations from woodturner Seamus Cassidy, who later this year will be producing the overall award for the Meath Chronicle / Cusack Hotels sports personality-of-the-year, and potter Thomas Diem. There were golf tips in the golf village, with director of golf Gavin Hunt and professional Eugene McEneaney from Knightsbrook complete with a box of balls for a guess-the-number competition. And while the local jockeys Murtagh and McDonogh didn't let the side down and produced a brace of winners each, there were winners off the track too, with Derry woman Martina McGillan, who was on her holidays in Meath, winning the 'Freedom of County Meath' prize, a package which included stays at the Bettystown Court and Old Darnley Lodge hotels, a family day out at Rathbeggan Lakes, a woodturning session, a family OPW heritage pass and dinner at the Station House. It was a win-win situation for both Meath Tourism, who were delighted with the response and crowds, which they say was up to 4,000 and attracted visitors from Dublin and the North, while Fairyhouse management was also delighted with the doubling of their usual attendance for a flat meeting. And Moynalty jockey Declan McDonogh didn't have it all his own way in the winners' enclosure either as his father, Des, who tained Monksfield to win two Champion Hurldes at Cheltenham, was also on the mark with Articilitis which was winning for the second time in a month following an impressive victory at Down Royal in June.