In Memoriam (Racing People)

Thats very sad news, cancer I believe. A terrible shame.

I know it's been said on here before but I think out of respect we should keep news of human passings on a separate thread.
 
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From RP

TOM O'RYAN, the much respected, award-winning racing journalist and broadcaster, has died at the age of 61. He had been battling lung cancer.
O'Ryan, Racing Journalist of the Year in 2002, had also been a talented Flat jockey and one of the leading apprentices of his era.
Starting his career as a 16-year-old weighing 6st 2lb, he partnered top-class performers Gunner B and Alverton on course and Sea Pigeon, Night Nurse, Little Owl and Alverton in home work - a quartet who won four Champion Hurdles and two Cheltenham Gold Cups.
O'Ryan rode for Pat Rohan, Peter Easterby and as a freelance for 12 years before weight forced him to turn his hand to journalism. He soon made an impact, working as a racereader for Raceform and joining the Racing Post as northern correspondent as well as becoming a presenter and pundit for Racing UK.
Through all his writing, his knowledge and love of horses shone through and he continued to ride work for Malton trainer Richard Fahey as well as working as a jockey coach helping the careers of many aspiring riders.
Among the first to pay condolence was Fahey, who said: "Devastated to say Tom O'Ryan passed away today. Can't say how much we will all miss him. We've lost the voice of the north."
Bruce Millington, editor of the Racing Post, said: "Desperately sad about the death of Tom O'Ryan. A fine journalist, broadcaster, Racing Post legend and champion of racing in the north."
Malton is also mourning former jockey and trainer Herbert Jones, who has died aged 83.
O'Ryan leaves a wife Wendy and brother Robin, assistant to Fahey.
Tweets from the racing world
Jonjo O'Neill (@JonjoONeill)
I'm heartbroken and lost for words. Tom was a great friend with an incredible way with horses & words. A great man who will be sadly missed.


Adam McNamara (@AdamMcNamara953)
Can't put into words how much I will miss Tom O'Ryan. He was a true gentleman, horseman, a great mentor, but most importantly a good friend.


Sean Quinn (@SeanQuinnracing)
RIP Tom O'Ryan. Racing, but the north in particular, has lost a real gem.


Mick Fitzgerald (@mickfitzg)
Really sorry to hear of the death of Tom O'Ryan. A gentleman who always had time to say hello. May he rest in peace.


Gay Kelleway (@GayKelleway)
So very very sad to hear of Tom O'Ryan's passing away he was a true gent and a legend he will be missed sorely by all who new him.


Dom Elsworth (@giddyyupgg)
R.I.P Tom O'Ryan. Stalwart of racing in the north. Absolute gentleman. Only ever wanted 2 help young lads out, always so kind in words.


Oliver Sherwood (@OliverSherwood)
Really sad news that Tom O'Ryan has passed away - so young - thoughts with his family.


JamieSpencer (@JPSPENCER1980)
RIP Tom O Ryan, proper man and a writer full of integrity, racing is a poorer place tonight.


Aidan Coleman (@AidanColeman)
Very sad to hear the news Tom O'Ryan has passed away. He was always great to deal with & will be missed massively. Condolences to hes family.


Donald McCain (@donaldmccain)
So sad to hear Tom O'ryan has passed away. Always a pleasure to deal with and a real gentleman! #Rip


Tom Scudamore (@tommyscu)
Very saddened to hear of the passing of Tom O'Ryan. A gentleman and wise man of the press room. Always a pleasure to speak to. RIP


Richard Hoiles (@RichardHoiles)
So sorry to hear of Tom O'Ryan's passing. Few people in racing will have helped so many with his time kind words and advice. A sad day.


Jason Hart (@jasonhart13)
Rest in peace Tom O'Ryan, a man who helped so many in so many different ways. A true gentleman and a pleasure to call him a friend #RIPTom


Willy Twiston-Davies (@willy_twiston)
Shocking news that Tom O'Ryan has passed away, puts life into perspective and makes us appreciate what we have. #RIPTom
 
From RP

GRAHAM ROACH, who owned dual Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Viking Flagship among a host of distinguished jumps winners, has died at the age of 69.
Roach, who made his fortune with Cornish bacon and ham processing business Roach Foods, also trained and enjoyed considerable success in the 1980s handling Prideaux Boy. The horse developed into a top-class hurdler, winning the Lanzarote and Swinton Hurdles and finishing fourth to See You Then in the 1986 Champion Hurdle before switching to fences late in life.
However, Roach found it impossible to do training justice while running a growing business and said at the time: "Cornwall is too far down geographically and there were so many business commitments. I wasn't able to split myself in half and make it work, and it was the business that always had to come first."
Initially, Roach had the former moderate Irish Flat maiden Viking Flagship with Martin Pipe and the gelding started off with four straight wins as a juvenile hurdler, one on Lingfield's all-weather surface.
However, it was with the late David Nicholson that Viking Flagship developed into one of the best-loved chasers of the last 30 years, winning the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 1994 and 1995, the Mumm Melling Chase in 1995 and 1996, and many other top races, including a Tingle Creek Chase and a Victor Chandler Chase.
Paul Nicholls took over the Roach horses when Nicholson retired and landed a Grade 1 win with Cornish Rebel in the Challow Hurdle, and Cheltenham Festival wins in successive years with St Pirran in the Grand Annual and Thisthatandtother in what was then the Daily Telegraph Festival Trophy.
There was further success at Graded level with the likes of Be Be King, Hawkes Point, Hells Bay, Shotgun Willy, Silence Reigns, The Nightingale and The Tother One, and a bet365 Gold Cup win in 2015 with Just A Par, owned in partnership with his great friend Paul Barber and only just denied a repeat win in April when short-headed by The Young Master.

Good friend
Nicholls grew close to Roach in their long association, and said: "Graham came to me when The Duke [Nicholson] retired and he wasn't just a good owner - he became a good friend too. He was a joy to train for and it's terribly sad.
"It's a sad loss for racing, and not just his family and friends, as he was a great supporter of National Hunt racing, as an owner and as a trainer himself in the early days, when he always had a good set up and enjoyed doing it himself."
He added: "He had some amazing horses and had some great success. He enjoyed every minute of it, but especially those wins at the festival with St Pirran and Thisthandtother and the great days we had with Shotgun Willy."
Roach leaves a widow, Valerie, a son, Shaun, and daughters Tanya and Louise. Funeral arrangements will be announced in due course.
 
Very sad to hear this. Had some friends living in the Prideaux valley and it was Prideaux Boy who first got me interested. Viking Flagship was of course my equine hero.
RIP Graham


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Viking Flagship one of mine too. I used to work for a rival company who was taken over by Roach Foods, I'm pretty sure Roddy used to deal with him on a business front in the past.
 
Diamond Geezer said:
Francis Flood has passed away aged 86
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Francis Flood trained Glencaraig Lady, one of only a handful of mares to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1972. L'Escargot was going for a hat trick but was gone after clouting the second last and a bunch of other horses were involved, but it was the mare who toughed it out, ridden by Frank Berry on his first ride at Cheltenham.

Francis Flood also trained Bobsline, who narrowly prevailed over Noddy's Ryde in the Arkle Chase in 1984. This was a duel that had been anticipated for months ahead of the race and fully lived up to the billing.

There were some other good horses, mostly staying chasers, but the yard is a lot quieter than it used to be. RIP
 
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I saw the last 3 furlongs of CL's Gold Cup win on Facebook earlier today. The most striking thing about the footage is how amateurish the jockey's look, compared to today's pilots.

That's not to run-down the jockey's of yesteryear. I don't know if it's due to fitness-levels or stylistic changes or something else, but it really is night-and-day, imo.
 
Frank Berry was stable jockey at Flood's for years and years and they had loads of winners.
Bobsline was a particular favourite from the 80s, he won 20 plus races and was around for years, Fethard Friend another top handicapper.
He also trained the last winner at Tralee racecourse with P'tit Fute, a decent animal who won flat and hurdles
Rest in Peace..
 
jinnyj said:
Jockey Mark Birch has sadly passed away aged 67 
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Very sorry to hear that. He was one of the top jockeys in the North for many years. He had his own style but he was strong, effective and reliable.

He won eight races on the wonderful Sea Pigeon, including two Chester Cups. Before the first, in 1977, he threatened to show his backside on the steps of Malton Town Hall if the horse didn't win. Fortunately for residents, it was never in doubt.

Birch was an excellent stable jockey for many years to Peter Easterby. Able Albert was another good horse I remember from the yard with which he struck up a good relationship.
 
Won A Gimcrack Stakes on Sonnen Gold for Easterby/ Muldoon combination also did he not?
Not sure if he ever won a Group one race but a very effective jockey riding for a very effective yard.
Must look up my old Pacemakers. !
Re 1977 Chester Cup Night Nurse had 7st 11 or 12 and Sea Pigeon 9-3 or so yet NN could only finish fifth or seventh.
R.I.P.
 
Last week I went to Graham roaches memorial service in Truro cathedral. We traded together from when we were 16 and he trained my first racehorse ( Freddy Owen ) as a permit holder great times together
 
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