Laytown Races: Top Trainers and Jockeys To Follow Laytown is the most unique racecourse in Britain and Ireland, as racing takes place on the beach and the temporary facilities are constructed just for the racing. The course only hosts one meeting a year and it takes place today. All races take place over six or seven furlongs and there is a very limited maximum field size of 10. The track often rides fast, so horses that are proven on quicker ground often have an advantage. Another thing to note is that headgear isn’t allowed, which will have an impact. We’ve had a good look at all six races across the card and picked out a trainer and jockey to follow. The trainer in question already has 12 winners at Laytown, despite there only being one meeting a year, and is a bit of an all-weather specialist. Trainer Adrian McGuinness is the man to follow, as his records at both Laytown and Dundalk make him very dangerous. He could have as many as six runners across the card, but there are three in particular that catch the eye. The County Dublin-based trainer has 12 winners from 67 runners at Laytown, which gives him a healthy strike-rate of 18 per cent. Clonmacash returned to winning ways with a good display at the Curragh last time out, getting the better of Emerald Harmony by a short head. He races off a 6lb higher mark here and the return to 6f shouldn’t be a problem. Denis Hogan’s Dontspoilasale could be the main danger, but McGuinness’ four-year-old is definitely the one to beat. Three of Distillate’s five career wins have come over this trip and her third over a mile at Bellewstown last time out signifies a return to form. She has won on good to firm ground and on the all-weather and that will certainly stand her in good stead here. One horse looks particularly well handicapped here, Exquisite Acclaim’s all-weather mark is 87 and the six-year-old is running off 78 here. Finian Maguire is an excellent amateur rider with loads of big-race experience and that will come in handy. Jockey It has been an excellent year for Ireland’s champion jockey Colin Keane so far and he has now settled into his role as Juddmonte’s retained jockey. He has a solid record here at Laytown, with six winners from just 30 rides, and he has a solid book of rides to look forward to on Thursday. Lismacbryan looks like a very solid candidate in the 5.05, as she won a handicap over 6f at the Curragh in October and the four-year-old looks well handicapped on that evidence. She returned to form with a decent second over the minimum trip at Naas last time out and should go well again. Ocean Manifest has only had five starts so far and the four-year-old has managed to make the frame on three occasions. Stephen Thorne's gelding finished second by a narrow margin over a mile at Killarney when last seen and he can go one better here. Claire O’Connell’s Roman Harry has a fair record on the all-weather, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if the sand here facilitates a return to form.
