Paddy Flood and Johnny Ward share fond memories of Edward O'Grady Legendary trainer Edward O’Grady passed away this morning at the age of 75. A multiple champion trainer and one of the only trainers to achieve the Galway Plate and Galway Hurdle double, he will be fondly remembered this week and beyond. Paddy Flood, who learned to race-ride while based with O’Grady, reflected on the passing of his former boss on today’s Galway Preview show: “It was very sad news this morning. Really sad news for all his family. He was a great man. He was a great man to work for. “He was tough, but I learned probably everything I know about riding a race from Edward. “I could always ride horses well but Edward taught me how to properly race-ride. And if you messed one up, you knew about it. “But once there was once, you had that cleared out and there was never a word about it again and you moved on. “Martin Ferris texted me this morning to let me know. Myself and Martin were there together and we had a great time with him, some great memories and some really good horses. “He was the Willie Mullins of his generation, he was training Cheltenham winners when it wasn't being done so he was a man ahead of his time. “When he had one right, he really had it right, he knew his horses inside out, trained them hard, trained them fit - may he rest in peace.” Racing journalist and broadcaster Johnny Ward shared his own fond memories of O’Grady: “It's not that long at all since I was talking to him. I saw him at the races very, very recently. So this came as a complete shock to me this morning when I heard. “I always really enjoyed his company and he was played by Pierce Brosnan in a movie over the Gay Future thing, something he was strangely quiet about all the years later, he didn't want to talk much about that, but it added to his legend. Quite apart from Gay Future, he was a brilliant trainer of good horses” “I found him really engaging company at the races over a drink or in the parade ring, he was a very witty character and quite unique in many ways. It’s very sad news.”
