Showers, rainbows and winners the order of the evening at Laytown

Day to remember for local trainer Eddie Delaney

The tide was out at Laytown last Thursday and so was luck for many of the local connections with only a couple of Royal representatives in the winners enclosure.

It looked set to be a profitable evening for punters following Meath connections when champion jockey Colin Keane won the opening Claiming race on board Cavan trainer Patrick Magee's Lismacbryan Hill.

Placed three times this season and sent off favourite when sixth of 21 on her most recent start at Naas, the Kuroshio four-year-old was sent off a 6/1 chance on Thursday.

Prominent from the get-go under Keane, the 44 rated bay travelled best with over two-furlongs to go and soon skipped clear.

Extending her advantage when ridden, she ultimately eased to a five-length win, with Zero Fighter (28/1) and American In Paris (5/1) in second and third respectively.

The winner was later claimed by Gormanston's James McAuley for €5,000 and will now by trained by Denis Hogan.

Dylan Browne McMonagle restored his six-winners lead over Keane in the race for the Champion Jockey title when he won the 6f Handicap on board Amanirenas in the second race.

After a close call in the third race there was a winner for local trainer Eddie Delany and his son Alan from Laytown when Lohengrin was a popular winner of the Pride Of Place Maiden.

Formerly in the care of both William Haggas and Eamonn O'Connell and without a win in 21 previous starts, the Ulysees five-year-old was sent off a 6/1 chance.

Sixth of 21 when last seen at the Curragh, the 58-rated chestnut made virtually all under Jordan Gainford (first winner at the venue) and found plenty when ridden from the furlong pole, ultimately coming home two-lengths to the good.

Assistant trainer and owner Alan Delany, who is also a committee member at Laytown, said: "It is absolutely brilliant. Our family are long associated with here.

"I honestly thought he would run very, very well. The last winner for the family here was in 1965, trained by my grandfather Eamon Delany and ridden by Francis Flood, which was obviously 60 years ago today.

"It was one I wanted to get on the CV (winner in Laytown) and Pat from Malahide Bloodstock pointed this fella out and I think we bought him in June in a claimer in Limerick. He was third in this race last year, so Pat said he could be the horse for us. I'm very thankful to Pat.

"This was the plan so a few lads got with me too.

"Jordan has been very lucky to us over jumps and he gave Escaping Thejungle a great ride here last year (in fourth). He asked me if I had anything going to Laytown and I said I did, and he asked if I would put him up. I was delighted to put him up and we were second in the first race (Zero Fighter).

"Dad (trainer Eamon Delany) is at home and he is not in the best of health, and this is better than any medication. You can't get this medication.

"I'm very lucky with the staff we have and the owners we have that support us. There's a huge crowd here all backing us."

There was another Meath winner in the 6.40pm race when Clonalvy jockey Adam Caffrey landed the ONeills.com Handicap over 7f on board Ado McGuinness's Distillate, a length and a half ahead of Eddie Lynam's Punk Poet

McGuinness did get into the winner's enclosure for the second time after the last race when exquisite Acclaim won the concluding 7f Handicap under the ride of Finny Maguire, son of legendary Kilmessan rider Adrian.

Check out more photos in Tuesday's Meath Chronicle.