The longest racing festival of the season got underway against a sombre backdrop on Monday afternoon. Stretching over a full seven days, the Galway Festival began amid its usual raucous atmosphere. However, there was a slightly subdued undertone following the death of an Irish training great. Having spent 53 years as a trainer, Edward O’Grady passed away at the age of 75 on Sunday evening.
Admired as one of the finest target trainers in the sport, O’Grady exploded onto the scene with a string of high-profile successes in the 1970s. Later decades were quieter, but the County Tipperary-based handler enjoyed a 1990s renaissance thanks to stars including Sound Man and Ventana Canyon. Set to be remembered for his phenomenal success over a 50+ year career, O’Grady is also one of few trainers to be immortalised in film.
Steps into the Breach Following Death of His Father
Born on September 27, 1949, Edward Joseph O’Grady had racing in the blood. His father, Willie, enjoyed success in the saddle and as a trainer – winning the Irish Champion Jumps Jockey title on three occasions, and training the top-class chaser Kinloch Brae.
Educated at Blackrock College, a 22-year-old O’Grady left veterinary school to take over the running of Killeens Stables following the death of his father in 1972. Quickly finding his feet, he registered his first winner with Vibrax at Gowran Park in January 1972, with his cousin Timmy Hyde in the saddle. Many more wins would follow.
Cheltenham Festival Trailblazer
Thanks to the exploits of Henry De Bromhead, Gordon Elliott, and, most notably, Willie Mullins, fans have come to expect a deluge of Irish-trained winners at the Cheltenham Festival. However, it wasn’t always this way. There was a time when runners from the Emerald Isle invariably failed to hit the target at Prestbury Park. Unless, that is, they were trained by Edward O’Grady.
Picking up a first Cheltenham Festival victory with Mr Midland in the 1974 National Hunt Chase and a last with Sky’s The Limit in the 2006 Coral Cup, O’Grady racked up a total of 18 wins at the March showpiece.
That tally was enough to see him out in front as the most successful Irish trainer in the history of the meeting, until Messrs Mullins, De Bromhead, and Elliott arrived on the scene. Highlights included:
- 1978 Stayers Hurdle – Flame Gun
- 1978 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – Golden Cygnet
- 1980 Stayers’ Hurdle – Mountrivers
- 1984 Triumph Hurdle – Northern Gane
- 1996 Arkle Chase – Ventana Canyon
- 2003 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – Back In Front
Of those Cheltenham Festival stars, Edward O’Grady never wavered from the opinion that Golden Cygnet was the most talented horse he had ever trained.
Sadly, the hurdler didn’t get the chance to fulfil his potential. Just two starts after that Supreme Novices’ Hurdle stroll, he lost his life in the Scottish Champion Hurdle when looking set to record a comfortable success over hurdling legends Sea Pigeon and Night Nurse.
Murphy’s Stroke: O’Grady in the Movies
One of the more colourful chapters of O’Grady’s early career concerned a horse going by the name of Gay Future. In one of the most famous/notorious betting coups of all time, the O’Grady-trained star was at the centre of an attempted scam involving switched horses, blocked phone lines, and a court case which hit the headlines. For his part, O’Grady was cleared of any wrongdoing. However, the incident was immortalised on film in the 1980 TV movie, Murphy’s Stroke, with a young Pierce Brosnan playing the role of O’Grady.
Big Names Pay Tribute
Thanks to early successes, including Shining Flame in the 1978 Galway Plate, leading owner J P McManus had O’Grady to thank for putting those famous green and gold silks on the map. When reacting to the news, McManus recognised his good friend’s ability as a horseman and kindness as a human, when stating:
“He was an amazing trainer, something special. The one thing I have to say about Edward is that he was always very good to his staff and very kind to everybody.”
Willie Mullins also paid tribute to O’Grady’s training skills, particularly in regard to the Cheltenham Festival:
“Edward was a tremendous trainer and set the bar for other Irish trainers at Cheltenham. He was training winners over there when very few others could.”
Whilst almost exclusively known as a jump’s trainer, O’Grady had many admirers within the flat arm of the sport, including the greatest flat trainer of them all, Aidan O’Brien. The Ballydoyle handler lent his voice to the tributes, stating:
“He was an incredible man to train horses, and there was nobody better at laying one out for a race; he was brilliant at it. He’ll be very sadly missed by everyone.”
End of an Era at Ballynonty
Our Soldier provided the last of Edward O’Grady’s near-1,700 winners at Bellewstown on July 5, 2025, over 53 years after the first success at Gowran Park.
🐎 Edward O’Grady — Rare Class, Always 🐎
From Golden Cygnet to Back In Front, nearly 1,700 winners and 18 Cheltenham triumphs — Edward O’Grady trained horses the right way. Quiet brilliance, lasting standards, a final winner at Bellewstown with Our Soldier.
Thank you, Edward. pic.twitter.com/KrIglNqlMw
— Bellewstown Races (@BellewstownRace) July 29, 2025
Crowned Irish Champion Jumps Trainer in 1977, 1978, 1979, and 1980, O’Grady leaves an impressive legacy, and a big hole to fill on the County Tipperary training scene.
