Leading Irish National Hunt trainer Edward O’Grady has passed away, aged seventy-five.

A multiple Cheltenham Festival winning trainer, O'Grady is best known for his talented hurdle Golden Cygnet, who was victorious in the 1978 Supreme Novices' Hurdle before suffering a fatal injury in the following month's Scottish Champion Hurdle.

He trained for over fifty years from his stables in County Tipperary.

Horse Racing Ireland released a statement on the O'Grady family's behalf, which read: "It is with profound sadness that we announce the death of Edward O'Grady, who passed away peacefully yesterday evening (Sunday 27 July) 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."