One hundred years ago, they were racing on the Strand at Laytown for a total of £109. After an inspection that lasted 1 1/2 hours, Brendan Sheridan finally gave the go-ahead to this afternoon's record breaking meeting with an extraordinary £42,000 on offer.
Michael Halford looks the trainer to follow particularly in the first and last races on the card. Ballymote was out of action last year but has made up for lost opportunities by winning a 6 1/2 furlong handicap at Sligo and a two-mile hurdle at Dundalk from three runs.
He is napped against the bottom weight Eljamil while his stablemate Distant Guest has had a less remunerative start to his Irish career but he did win at Bath in October and looks handicapped to win the Pat's Centra Golden Mile.
Because of its very special terrain, course winners have an edge when making a Laytown reappearanace. Into this category fits Cathal McCarthy's home-trained Colins Double, bidding to live up to his name with a repeat win in the St James' Gate Amateur Handicap.
