Edward O'Grady, a multiple champion National Hunt trainer whose name will go down in Cheltenham Festival folklore, has died. He was 75.
O'Grady trained some of the finest jumpers of his era and sent out 18 Cheltenham Festival winners throughout a glittering career.
He managed the careers of brilliant horses like Golden Cygnet, Gay Future, Native Upmanship, Ned Kelly, Back In Front, Tranquil Sea and many more.
O'Grady also had the distinct achievement of providing JP McManus with his first ever Cheltenham Festival success when Mister Donovan landed what is now known as the Turners Novice Hurdle back in 1982.
That victory was reported to be pivotal in McManus's rise with the legendary owner later reporting that he won £250,000 on the horse, which fueled future investment in the game. The only Irish trainers with a better Cheltenham record than O'Grady to this day are Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott.
O'Grady took over his father's training licence in 1972 and enjoyed his first win that year at Gowran Park when his cousin Timmy Hyde partnered Vibrax to victory. His last winner came earlier this month when Our Soldier won a handicap hurdle at Bellewstown under Harry Swan, who is a grandson of Hyde's.
A four-time champion jumps trainer in Ireland, O'Grady was widely regarded as one of the finest practitioners of his craft.
A statement issued by the O'Grady family on Monday morning 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, 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 via www.rip.ie.”
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