Paddy Power Gold Cup to be run in honour of Edward O'Grady

Cheltenham Racecourse and Paddy Power announced on Monday that next month's Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase will be run in honour of the legendary Irish trainer Edward O’Grady.

Staged over two and a half miles on the Saturday of The November Meeting (Saturday November 15), the £160,000 race will be run as the Paddy Power Gold Cup (in memory of Edward O'Grady). The O’Grady family will be guests of Cheltenham Racecourse on the day and present the trophy to winning connections.

O’Grady, who sadly passed away aged 75 on July 27 this year, saddled  18 winners at the Cheltenham Festival over a 32-year period between 1974 and 2006.

His Festival highlights included the breathtaking 15-length victory of Golden Cygnet in the 1978 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and the success of Mr Donovan in the 1982 staging of what is now the Turners Novices’ Hurdle. Mr Donovan was a truly historic winner, being the first of owner J P McManus’ now record 84 Festival victories.

Away from The Festival, O’Grady also enjoyed significant success at the Home of Jump Racing. He saddled Tranquil Sea to become only the second Irish-trained winner of the Paddy Power Gold Cup itself in 2009 and won the highlight of The Christmas Meeting, the December Gold Cup, with Go Roger Go in 2000.

Away from Cheltenham, he also enjoyed significant success in the UK with Sound Man, who twice won the Grade One Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown Park (1995 & 1996), and Drumlargan, who recorded a memorable triumph in the 1983 Whitbread Gold Cup at the same venue. In his native Ireland, he was a four-time champion Jump trainer and landed the 1983 Irish Grand National with Bit Of A Skite.

The O’Grady family said: “We are deeply touched that Cheltenham Racecourse and Paddy Power have chosen to honour Edwards’s memory in this way.

“Cheltenham held a very special place in his heart, it was the stage for so many of his proudest moments in racing.

“To see his name associated with such a prestigious race is a wonderful tribute to his life’s work and his love of the sport. Our family is truly grateful for this recognition, and we are all really looking forward to the day."

Guy Lavender, CEO of Cheltenham Racecourse, commented: “Edward O’Grady was a towering presence as a leading Irish Jump trainer for over half a century.

“His record at The Festival was outstanding and I think it is fair to say he paved the way for the remarkable success of Irish-trained horses this century.

“On behalf of the racecourse and Paddy Power, our huge thanks go to the O’Grady family for helping us to honour Edward in this way and hopefully we will witness a race worthy of the great man’s memory next month.”

1974 Mr Midland - National Hunt Chase

1976 Prolan - Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase

1977 Rusty Tears - Cathcart Chase

1978 Golden Cygnet - Supreme Novices’ Hurdle

1978 Flame - Stayers’ Hurdle

1980 Drumlargan – Sun Alliance Novices’ Hurdle

1980 Mountrivers - Stayers’ Hurdle

1981 Staplestown - County Handicap Hurdle

1982 Mr Donovan - Turners Novices’ Hurdle

1983 Bit Of A Skite - National Hunt Chase

1984 Northern Game - Triumph Hurdle

1994 Mucklemeg - Champion Bumper

1994 Time For A Run - Coral Cup

1996 Ventana Canyon – Arkle Novices’ Chase

1996 Loving Around - National Hunt Chase

2002 Pizarro - Champion Bumper

2003 Back In Front - Supreme Novices’ Hurdle

2006 Sky’s The Limit - Coral Cup