RACING on the beach is back at Laytown on Monday week, September 16th. It’s well worth experiencing this truly unique event, the only official race meeting in Ireland run on a beach. Gates open at 2.30pm and the first race is due off at 4.35pm.

As the tide recedes on raceday, the racecourse is swiftly set up for an exhilarating six-race card over six and seven furlongs. This one-of-a-kind event draws massive crowds of intrigued spectators, locals, and devoted horse racing enthusiasts who come to witness the spectacle of horses thundering down the sand.

Web: laytownstrandraces.ie

FRIDAY, September 13th, marks the final day of the 2024 season at Ballinrobe, and it promises to be a fantastic evening of racing and socialising. The eight-race National Hunt card starts at 3.25 pm, with gates opening from 1.30 pm.

Attendees will be treated to live music from Streetwise.

The Friday Finale package, available for just €25 per person, includes admission, a racecard, a €6 drink voucher, and a €6 food voucher. Designed for groups of five or more, this package offers great value, but spaces are limited, so booking in advance is essential.

Web: ballinroberacecourse.ie

THE Goffs Million, Europe’s richest race for juveniles, returns to the Curragh on Saturday, September 28th. Off the track there will be fabulous style, free kids entertainment and live music. The eight-race card also includes the Goffs 500 and the Glentoy Student Derby.

Web: curragh.ie

THERE has been a changing of the guard at many racecourses in recent times with over a quarter of our tracks under new management.

Since Eoghan O’Grady’s appointment as manager at Cork Racecourse Mallow last year, there have been no less than six other new racecourse manager appointments in 2024.

Ruth Morrison took over at the helm at Downpatrick following Richard Lyttle’s retirement. Aidan McGarry moved from the position of manager at Navan to Naas, thus enabling his operations manager Ciaran Flynn to progress to the position of General Manager at the Co Meath track. At Kilbeggan Racecourse, chairman of the board Stephen Heffernan stepped in as general manager at the midlands track following the tragic passing of Paddy Dunican.

New to our industry but not to management are Michael Lynch at Limerick Racecourse and Karl McCay at Killarney Racecourse.

AIR would like to formally welcome all these new managers to the Association and wish them the very best of luck.