What is Laytown Beach?

[WinterTriangle]

I turn on TV, see a race, dunno where it is, never heard of it, but looking, saying to myself "is this a mud flat or what?". It looked like when you go fishing out on a sandbar.

Then announcer says it's in Ireland, and they are actually racing ON THE BEACH. :eek:

Kinda neat.

[Java Gold@TFT]

I turn on TV, see a race, dunno where it is, never heard of it, but looking, saying to myself "is this a mud flat or what?". It looked like when you go fishing out on a sandbar.

Then announcer says it's in Ireland, and they are actually racing ON THE BEACH. :eek:

Kinda neat.
It's in Ireland and they do run the races on the beach. Very Unique place even though I haven't been there. It's on the East coast and runs for either 1 or 2 days each year. I'm not 100% sure of the specifics. I'd love to see it some day. They have to time the races and adjust the 'course' according to the tides. Definitley one of my ultimate destinations in retirement.

Found this:

http://www.goracing.ie/Content/HRI/hriracecourses.aspx?id=594

[cj's dad]

I looked into this when I was in Ireland in '88. I believe the races are run in April, it's a 2 day event and the post times correspond to low tide; no kidding. Obviously, there are no turns.

[Bobzilla]

I turn on TV, see a race, dunno where it is, never heard of it, but looking, saying to myself "is this a mud flat or what?". It looked like when you go fishing out on a sandbar.

Then announcer says it's in Ireland, and they are actually racing ON THE BEACH. :eek:

Kinda neat.


WT, I had never heard of Laytown until just the other day. Robert99 attached a photo you might be interested in seeing on the 'slowly but surely the truth about synthetics comes out' thread, post #502.

[cj's dad]

April is incorrect - it is obviously being run now, as in today;

Cards


Tuesday, 1st September

Laytown

Standard



Course Info (v5course?prc=092)
Course Stats (v5cardinfo?prc=092&prd=20090901#stats)


5.05 (cards/v5card092200909011705.htm)

ladbrokes.com Handicap (Rated 50-70)6f (cards/v5card092200909011705.htm)

5.35 (cards/v5card092200909011735.htm)

Gilna's Cottage Inn Maiden7f (cards/v5card092200909011735.htm)

6.05 (cards/v5card092200909011805.htm)

Carroll Estates Home Builders Claiming Race7f (cards/v5card092200909011805.htm)

6.35 (cards/v5card092200909011835.htm)

O'Neills Sports Handicap (Rated 47-65)6f (cards/v5card092200909011835.htm)

7.05 (cards/v5card092200909011905.htm)

ladbrokes-bingo.com (Q.R.) Handicap (Rated 50-80)7f (cards/v5card092200909011905.htm)

7.35 (cards/v5card092200909011935.htm)

Hibernia Steel (Q.R.) Race7f (cards/v5card092200909011935.htm)

[Scanman]

It's in Ireland and they do run the races on the beach. Very Unique place even though I haven't been there. It's on the East coast and runs for either 1 or 2 days each year. I'm not 100% sure of the specifics. I'd love to see it some day. They have to time the races and adjust the 'course' according to the tides. Definitley one of my ultimate destinations in retirement.For anyone who has a passion for travel and racing, Laytown should be on one's short list. I visited Laytown on a golf/racing holiday in 2007. They only race once a year, usually in September. Got in an early round a couple miles down the road, then arrived at the "course" early to watch them set it up. Attached are some pics.

[Scanman]

Only 5 pics per post so here's a few more.

[Scanman]

A few more.

[Scanman]

The last couple. Hope you guys enjoyed the look.

[Scanman]

April is incorrect - it is obviously being run now, as in today;

Cards


Tuesday, 1st September

Laytown

Standard



Course Info (v5course?prc=092)
Course Stats (v5cardinfo?prc=092&prd=20090901#stats)


5.05 (cards/v5card092200909011705.htm)

ladbrokes.com Handicap (Rated 50-70)6f (cards/v5card092200909011705.htm)

5.35 (cards/v5card092200909011735.htm)

Gilna's Cottage Inn Maiden7f (cards/v5card092200909011735.htm)

6.05 (cards/v5card092200909011805.htm)

Carroll Estates Home Builders Claiming Race7f (cards/v5card092200909011805.htm)

6.35 (cards/v5card092200909011835.htm)

O'Neills Sports Handicap (Rated 47-65)6f (cards/v5card092200909011835.htm)

7.05 (cards/v5card092200909011905.htm)

ladbrokes-bingo.com (Q.R.) Handicap (Rated 50-80)7f (cards/v5card092200909011905.htm)

7.35 (cards/v5card092200909011935.htm)

Hibernia Steel (Q.R.) Race7f (cards/v5card092200909011935.htm)

Looks like they're going a little later in the day this year. When I was there, 1st post was at 2:15pm. Guess the tides weren't right until early evening.

[WinterTriangle]

Scanman! Thank you for taking the time and trouble to post those photos!


They were beautiful, and interesting, each and every one! Took me a while (on dialup no less!) but I sure did enjoy them!

[Scanman]

I'm glad and hope you have the chance to go there someday and to also enjoy some of the other Irish racecourses as well.

Cheers,
Scanman

[WinterTriangle]

Was just told that BBC did a documentary on it called Racing the Tides.

I'm gonna look for it

[toetoe]

If they install a synthetic surface, I promise that I will race my horses there. :jump:

[Quagmire]

The last couple. Hope you guys enjoyed the look.


Very nice pics scanman. Thank you for sharing.

[Watcher]

Moving to Dublin in a month, will certainly check this out next year.

[macguy]

Cool, thanks for sharing the pictures. :ThmbUp:

[Scanman]

Moving to Dublin in a month, will certainly check this out next year.Hopefully, good fortune will follow you there. It's a GREAT racing country. I hope you try to visit as many racecourses that you can (I've made it to all, but 8) and you'll certainly have a blast at Laytown, especially if the sun is shinning.

To the rest, cheers to all. It was my pleasure.

After traveling to Ireland the past two years, I'm not going to make it there this year. The family wants to go to Australia over the Christmas/New Years holiday period, so I'm planning on visiting 6-7 tracks while I'm there.

[Java Gold@TFT]

Hopefully, good fortune will follow you there. It's a GREAT racing country. I hope you try to visit as many racecourses that you can (I've made it to all, but 8) and you'll certainly have a blast at Laytown, especially if the sun is shinning.

To the rest, cheers to all. It was my pleasure.

After traveling to Ireland the past two years, I'm not going to make it there this year. The family wants to go to Australia over the Christmas/New Years holiday period, so I'm planning on visiting 6-7 tracks while I'm there.
Good luck Scanman. I am emvious. I only wish I had the time and money to visit all of the tracks on my list. Well, it's Friday and a Mega MIllions night so I can always hope.

[Watcher]

Hopefully, good fortune will follow you there. It's a GREAT racing country. I hope you try to visit as many racecourses that you can (I've made it to all, but 8) and you'll certainly have a blast at Laytown, especially if the sun is shinning.

To the rest, cheers to all. It was my pleasure.

After traveling to Ireland the past two years, I'm not going to make it there this year. The family wants to go to Australia over the Christmas/New Years holiday period, so I'm planning on visiting 6-7 tracks while I'm there.
I'm looking at getting a place overlooking the Leopardstown Racecourse. Visited there? Impressions?

[Scanman]

Good luck Scanman. I am emvious. I only wish I had the time and money to visit all of the tracks on my list. Well, it's Friday and a Mega MIllions night so I can always hope.Thanks Java. The money is always an issue. In addition to the 9-5er, I'm retired Navy and referee a lot of soccer, which funds most of the track trips. Racing here at home is great, but the courses can get to be a little mundane. You know, left turn, left turn, finish. What's at the top of your list in the US? Overseas?

I'm looking at getting a place overlooking the Leopardstown Racecourse. Visited there? Impressions?Fantastic racecourse. Yeah, visited there January '98, so it's been a while. I understand that they've modified the racecourse since, but the facilities were first-rate then and I can only imagine that they have only gotten better. Got to see the great hurdler Itsabraq win the European Champion Hurdle. I rate it as Ireland's top racecourse, even better than The Curragh, then Galway. Leopardstown races under both codes, so you'll get to see the best on the flat and over the jumps. You'll find that the Irish have a greater love for racing "over the sticks" than on the flat. You have so much to look forward to. See it all!!!

[Java Gold@TFT]

Thanks Java. The money is always an issue. In addition to the 9-5er, I'm retired Navy and referee a lot of soccer, which funds most of the track trips. Racing here at home is great, but the courses can get to be a little mundane. You know, left turn, left turn, finish. What's at the top of your list in the US? Overseas?

Well, I live near Saratoga and have been to most of the major tracks East of the Mississsippi. I would still like to see Del Mar and SA. I wish the old Hialeah still existed - didn't get to see that in it's prime and I just read that they are planning on running QH races this winter. I'd also like a couple of days at Oaklawn. I've always had fun at some of the fairs and bullrings even if the quality wasn't great, they were a good time so I wouldn't mind going to some of the oddball bullrings in the west.

Overseas, I want to see the obvious group of suspects - the Curragh, Leopeardstown (I'm Irish), Ascot, Goodwood, Aintree (I love steeplechasing), the track in Puerto Rico thats name escapes me now, the track in Europe where they run harness races on a frozen lake, almost anything in Australia ( I only get to see them late at night on a computer feed), and of course Laytown. Damn, I have to hit the lottery real soon.

[Scanman]

Well, I live near Saratoga and have been to most of the major tracks East of the Mississsippi. I would still like to see Del Mar and SA. I wish the old Hialeah still existed - didn't get to see that in it's prime and I just read that they are planning on running QH races this winter. I'd also like a couple of days at Oaklawn. I've always had fun at some of the fairs and bullrings even if the quality wasn't great, they were a good time so I wouldn't mind going to some of the oddball bullrings in the west.

Overseas, I want to see the obvious group of suspects - the Curragh, Leopeardstown (I'm Irish), Ascot, Goodwood, Aintree (I love steeplechasing), the track in Puerto Rico thats name escapes me now, the track in Europe where they run harness races on a frozen lake, almost anything in Australia ( I only get to see them late at night on a computer feed), and of course Laytown. Damn, I have to hit the lottery real soon.Well, I envy you having Saratoga as your home track. I had that chance to visit back in 1999 and was incredibly impressed. Was supposed to go up this summer as we were hoping to have a runner there, but he's been experiencing a bit of heat stroke in his last couple of races, so we're going to campaign him this Fall.

You have a great list of tracks to want to visit and I hope you get to them all. Santa Anita and Del Mar have their own charm and history. I do hope they return Hialeah to its classic glory. Got to visit there a year or so before they closed. Oaklawn, another great meet, the only negative there is no grass racing. The western bullrings and fairs are a hoot. A couple of my favorites are Tillamook (OR), Dayton (WA) and Flagstaff (AZ).

Your overseas list is also impressive. Most of the racing in Ireland is fantastic. When you go try to add Galway and Down Royal, as well. Ascot and Goodwood are the cream of British racing on the flat. I'd also recommend York, Epsom and Lingfield. And since you love jump racing you would be right at home. Aintree is great (went to the 1984 Grand National - atmosphere was incredible). But a visit to Cheltenham is a must. There is no finer steeplechase racecourse in the world. Racing on the frozen lake in St. Moritz is incredible. We had great weather (but cold) the day we went. Fortunately, all the mountain passes were open. Not easy to get to, but worth the trek. There is another meeting that also races on a frozen lake a couple of weeks before St. Moritz. It is in Arosa, also in Switzerland. Australia is another great racing country. What other country has a national holiday for a horse race. They really love their racing. Been to 20 of their courses, highlights being Randwick, Canterbury and Ascot. But some of the most enjoyable/interesting is the racing in the bush or picnic meetings. You would want to experience a couple of those as well. The track in Puerto Rico is called Cameraro. Haven't been there, but it looks to be a interesting venue. Even better would be some of the grassroots racing in the islands in the Carribean, like Martinique, Trinidad, Jamaica and Barbados.

Yeah, we share a kindred spirit in "track-hopping". Hopefully, you will find the means to make these visits a reality. When you do, let me know, and I'd be happy to give you as much insight to your trips that I can.

Best,
Scanman

[horses4courses]

Laytown runs today and, if you use tvg.com, you can watch live video.
It's really a kick to watch these horses run on the sand when the tide is out.

If you want to make a bet, I'll suggest these four,
but don't take less than 4-1, and don't bet much ;)

R1 :6:
R2 :4:
R4 :7:
R5 :10:

Good luck!

[Mr_Ed]

Yesterday at Laytown:

http://www.horsecollaborative.com/wp-content/uploads/Laytown.jpg

[Mr_Ed]

http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/9-05-2014/xsXJHA.gif

[nijinski]

Thankful that the horse didn't flip over in that photo and video .
Those jocks have a dangerous job and in this instance he was
a real pro !

[nijinski]

Thankful that the horse didn't flip over in that photo and video .
Those jocks have a dangerous job and in this instance he was
a real pro !

http://youtu.be/KlLxzTGWoKA

[turninforhome10]

The You tube quote said he got "flipped out" seeing a crab in front of him.

[Mr_Ed]

At Laytown Beach 9/4:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bwv-ua8IYAAApyX.jpg

[horses4courses]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BxBoVAnIEAAhWNl.jpg

[horses4courses]

I don't think there were any crabs on the track in Tipperary.
It's a good 30 miles to the coast..........

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BzYMhzcCYAAhbWc.jpg