Leading Irish horse trainer Edward O'Grady dies aged 75, family announces

Irish Independent

6 hours ago

O'Grady trained a whole host of top-class horses over the course of his long and illustrious career and for a long time was the leading Irish trainer at the Cheltenham Festival where he saddled 18 winners, the first being Mr Midland in the 1974 National Hunt Chase.
A statement released by his family through Horse Racing Ireland read: 'It is with profound sadness that we announce the death of Edward O'Grady, who passed away peacefully yesterday evening at St James's Hospital (in Dublin), surrounded by his family.
'Edward was a cherished husband, father and grandfather and also one of the most respected and successful racehorse trainers of his generation.
'Over the course of an extraordinary career that spanned more than five decades, Edward trained just shy of 1,700 winners under rules. His name became synonymous with Irish National Hunt racing, and he was a formidable force at Cheltenham and across the racing world.
'Beyond the winners and the headlines, Edward was a man of deep intelligence, sharp wit, and remarkable warmth. He had friends on every continent, a story for every occasion, and a lifelong passion for the sport, the hunting field and everything equestrian.
'Funeral details will be announced in due course.'
Perhaps the most talented horse to pass through O'Grady's hands was Golden Cygnet, a brilliant winner of the 1978 Supreme Novices' Hurdle but fatally injured in the Scottish Champion Hurdle the following month.
More recent Festival winners for O'Grady include Pizarro, who landed the 2002 Champion Bumper in the hands of top Flat jockey Jamie Spencer, and the 2003 Supreme scorer Back In Front.
Away from Cheltenham, O'Grady saddled Sound Man to win successive runnings of the Tingle Creek at Sandown in 1995 and 1996, while his final Grade One winner was Cash And Go in the Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown's Christmas Festival in 2011.
Other top-class horses he trained include 2002 Irish Champion Hurdle winner Ned Kelly and his half-brother Nick Dundee, who both carried the colours of Coolmore supremo John Magnier.
O'Grady trained for more than 50 years from his base in County Tipperary, taking over at Killeens after the death of his father, Willie – a former dual Irish champion jockey and later trainer – in January 1972.
His final winner came via Our Soldier in a Bellewstown handicap hurdle at the start of July, while his last runner, Sovereign Banter, finished unplaced in a Cork sprint on Friday night.