Fox Norton (nearest) beat Un De Sceaux at Punchestown© Photo Healy Racing
Colin Tizzard said that making a successful raid on this year's Punchestown Festival with a team owned by Alan Potts was a particular highlight for him.
The leading owner, who has died at the age of 80, also lifted the Cheltenham Gold Cup with the Jessica Harrington-trained Sizing John in March.
In 2016, Potts and his wife Ann, who died earlier this year, removed all of their horses from Henry De Bromhead's yard, sending many of them to several trainers across Ireland.
Dorset trainer Colin Tizzard also inherited a sizeable string, with a number of the Potts horses in line to run at the big three-day meeting at Cheltenham this weekend.
Tizzard told Press Association Sport: "It came as quite a surprise as I was only talking to him a few days ago.
"He was a self-made man. He could be quite demanding but he could be absolutely brilliant company - that was the sort of person he was.
"He made a lot of money from scratch and he definitely brought our stable a few gears forward and he will be sadly missed.
"We've had some brilliant days and we had a brilliant meeting at Aintree and then went over to Punchestown.
"Ann was still around then and Ann and Alan together were lovely company. Ann was a lovely lady and we all had some brilliant times together.
"I think going over to Punchestown and winning the Champion Chase with Fox Norton was brilliant along with Sizing Granite and Sizing Codelco winning there.
"Going to Ireland and beating the Irish there was special. We sat with him for dinner for three or four days there and spent a lot of very happy times together.
"I am not quite sure (what will happen) about the horses. They have been sorting out this huge business of his for a few years. I think it will be sorted soon and we will then find out what will happen."
Tom O'Brien rode the Potts-owned, and Tizzard-trained, Finian's Oscar to victory in the Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown in January.
He said: "My condolences to all his family. I am very grateful to have ridden for him and to have ridden a Grade One winner in his colours.
"It is a very sad day and I'm thinking of his family. I only met Alan a few times at Cheltenham. Unfortunately I didn't get to know him well. He loved his National Hunt racing. He was a competitive man and always wanted to be the best."
Jim Dreaper used to train horses for Ann and Alan Potts, and told Press Association Sport: "It's a sad day. I had horses for him for 10 to 12 years now. He was a great sportsman and a gentleman.
"He loved to win, like us all, but he took the ups and downs of it well. It's a sad loss, especially so soon after losing his wife.
"It was just marvellous for him that they had their day at Cheltenham in the Gold Cup last year."
