A truly unique racecourse – Laytown. Situated in County Meath, Ireland, this village overlooking the Irish Sea is a beautiful location which sees horses race on the beach. Historically, the place was called Ninch.
Racing dates back to 1868.
Laytown racecourse is unique being raced on the beach to the sound of crashing wave and smell of salty air. This Flat racing event, over a straight course, which covers a distance of either 6 or 7-furlongs has a long and prestigious history. The old course – pre-1994 – which followed a horseshoe shape allowed racegoers to get close to the action with races taking place over distances from 5f – 2m.
In fact, there is just one race meeting which takes place every September with seven-race card and total prize money about £40,000. Racing takes place under the rules and regulations of Horse Racing Ireland. Such is its popularity the BBC made a documentary: Racing The Tide.
Also, there is a great publication about Laytown Races by historians John Kirwan and Fiona Ahern: Laytown Strand Races: Celebrating 150 Years.
In 1994, there was an incident where a horse ran into the crowd which saw both horses and spectators injured this led to future race meetings abandoned for a few years. However, they returned with heightened safety measure including spectators watching racing from adjacent fields. Each year a crowd of over 5,000 enjoy Laytown races.
Laytown is a scenic location with many landmarks and attractions including Mornington Manor, Millifont Abbey & Slane Castle.
It has delightful racing fans since the mid 19th Century and attended by famous jockeys and even royalty. In fact, history has seen very little stop this meeting from taking place apart from world wars and Coronavirus.
There is something very natural about horses running on beaches. Although this meeting isn’t quite the same as its heyday, it is still one of the most famous racing venues anywhere in the world. If you want to enjoy a truly memorable race day then Laytown has to feature on your bucket list. The combination of a racing spectacle and Irish hospitality is sure to fill your heart with joy.