Tales From The Betting Ring - Laytown with AK Bets. 04/09/25

It was tipping down when I stepped off the plane in Dublin, still raining when Des picked me up at the airport, still raining when we are arrived at Layton, then glorious ice cream weather as we stepped out of the car. I’ve not been to Ireland since this meeting last year, it was great to be back racing on the beach. AK had four pitches, right deep breath, Tidler and AK on the master pitch, Graham and Alyn behind them, AK senior and Joe down the line with big Des across the ring. In short, mob handed. Before racing I met a familiar face from the shire back home, Grace and Tilly daughter and granddaughter of Westcountry betting ring veteran Johnny Loveridge, it’s always nice to see someone from home.

Also with the AK but not working the pitches was Jim, James and James, named but so far unseen. The crowd was already swelling as the betting got underway early, they were a mix of family groups and recreational punters but with a few sharks doing their best to mingle in. AK got the ice creams in to sustain the troops then the grafting started. The one horse AK was keen to get in the book was St Ouen, the runner with Jersey form that hadn’t had much experience with the stalls, at the off it was losing over €6000 after punters had been keen to back him. 6/1 chance Lismacbryan Hill won with some ease, at least that’s what the commentary said, I’ve yet to see a horse here, and I’ve been coming since 2022, by the time they are off the crowd on the bank are impermeable. The winner was the worst winner in the book copping €400, everything else won over €2000, still, a winning start. Between races I bumped into my old pal Dave O'Reilly who was looking well and working here though no longer with AK.

Next up and the crowd were packing into the ring, maybe because so many had backed the first winner, despite drifting from 9/2 to 6/1. Maybe the punters just like the look of the AK team's legs which were mostly out which would have made their minds up for them if you like men of a certain age. The good thing about so many people coming to draw at the same time was that it created a nice buzz which tends to snowball and always good for business. Once betting got going properly Cu Chulainn was the one of two AK was ducking here, the other being Amanirenas but ‘there was nothing to be scared of’ bet size anyway. As the horses went to post the ring bet 5/1 the field with the two the firm were ducking middle pins. AK told me that he had been burning the midnight oil going through the form, it paid off, Amanirenas won at 13/2 with Cu Chulainn runner up at 15/2 copping €5471 from turnover of €8000.

Between races and buoyed by being a nice few quid up, AK made a confession. He had forgotten that he’d purchased a fifth pitch here so just turned up with enough staff and kit to man four of them, a bit gutting for a once a year course. Still, there was plenty of business to go around and enough bets to keep the teams busy as it was. As the horses lined up for the next there was €9000 in the combined hods. There had been a very late move for Jered Maddox 7/2 after a drift  into 7/4 but was never a factor I was told later that he'd broken a blood vessel. Dontspoilasale won the race by half a length bringing the firm down to Earth again with a loss of €2500, a blow but no disaster.

Race four and the weather forecast had put us away, it was bloody raining for the second time since racing started, both showers but the race four shower was hanging about a bit. On the plus side it was unlikely to affect the going much, boom boom I'll get my coat. Ocean Manifest was the 2/1 favourite for the maiden which was probably not to do with the topical name. The rain is a negative at any racecourse but certainly is here at Laytown, field money was down dramatically as people got damp in their summer clobber. Then they withdrew the jolly, it doesn’t rain it pours, excuse the pun. A new market was quickly formed but queues of punters wanting their money back was only going to be exacerbated when there was a hefty rule four to deduct from whatever won. Powerful Hook Head was installed a tentative favourite in a confused market with just a few minutes to go. Lohengrin winning at 6/1 was just a €100 winner in the win book nudged up to a cop of €700 on the race thanks to favourable places.

AK declared that he was going to ‘keep’ the 11/4 jolly Punk Poet in the penultimate, that might sound alarming but he does his homework so not as worrying as it would be with some. There was an interesting bet in the scheme of the betting here tonight when someone bet €150 each-way Saxon Kingdom at 14/1, that sort of wager is always worth noting as it’s probably not a guess up. Next up a bookie bet 14/1 chance Cherry Pink, he knew the fractions and had bet €2000 - €140 each-way, at the very same time a punter bet €1400 - €100 at one of the other pitches, an attempt at a little tickle maybe? The race was hotting up, unlike anyone who’d got wet, the rain had stopped but the warming sun was struggling to get through the crowds. It was nice to see Brian Gleeson come to have a chat with AK, ITV’s man about the ring wasn’t here working just on a busman’s which was nice to see, he's a top man.  Meanwhile, Cherry Pink was now an 8/1 chance, the sun finally came out again and Punk Poet remained the solid 11/4 jolly, leant for. You know the opening credits of the Simpsons, reverse them, a feared Internet punter had a grand on 6/1 chance Distillate with the firm which won the race beating AK’s fancy 11/4 favourite Punk Poet into second, the book lost a hefty €4000, which would have smarted.

After five races and being up plenty going into the final heat the book was winning €156 so the whole day would now be settled on the lucky last. The punters did appear to want to have a go though still to smallish money but one punter had £500 at 13/2 Expound which made the race a bit more exciting. With four pitches at full rattle the field money was creeping up nicely though things came to a lull the few minutes before the horses loaded. The music tent appeared to be full, the band upped their amps oblivious to the precarious position a profitable Laytown 2025 for AK Bets was in this was it. The last race was a cracker which went to a desperate finish which went to the the judge though the machine made Exquisite Acclaim the winner immediately 1.01 and of course the machine was right though it was only a short head but an important one, plus €4200 in the book so ensured a winning night after a bit of a scare for AK and the team, but of course that was before exes. It had been another excellent Laytown meeting albeit a bit spoilt by the rain, if you haven’t been it’s a definitely one to consider.

As a rule that would be it, but tonight there was an added attraction. AK had volunteered me to go for a swim in the briny waters offering to donate €500 to Kevin Blake’s sponsored half marathon. Seeing my predicament Michael Fletcher added a pledge of £50 towards Dave Stewart’s fundraiser for the Royal Marsden which Matchbook added €200. I had to do it didn’t I, I was joined frolicking in the waves by AK, Graham, Alyn and one of the James'. I'll post the video that Tidler took as proof here once I have it. Thanks for reading.

                                                                                           https://x.com/AKBets/status/1963679127229387251 

Simon Nott 

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