Horse Racing Ireland's chief executive Brian Kavanagh has described Oliver Brady as a "favourite with all racegoers" after the death was announced of the Co Monaghan trainer and businessman. He was 75 and had fought illness for some time.

Well-known for his effusive behaviour in winners’ enclosures throughout Ireland, Brady, along with his business partner, Rita Shah, set up Shabra plastics in Castleblayney in 1986. They also combined to run a small string of racehorses which Brady trained with conspicuous success.

Big race success

Brady’s great ambition was to train a Cheltenham festival winner. The closest he came was with Baron de Feypo’s third in the 2007

Coral Cup

although Ebadiyan was still leading the Triumph Hurdle two years later until running out at the second-last flight.

He did enjoy big race success though, notably with Maralan who won a pair of Grade 2 chases within a week in 2008.

“He was one our most colourful trainers and a favourite with all racegoers,” Brian Kavanagh said. “He lit up many a race meeting and it was always a spectacle to see racegoers running from the stands to greet an Oliver Brady-trained winner. It was always a pleasure to meet him. We must not forget the tremendous charity work he did with the Shabra Heart and Cancer Foundation which he founded with Rita Shah.”

Work for charity

Brady was first diagnosed with cancer in 1995. He was given just six months to live in 2003 after a cyst the size of a golf ball was found in his stomach.

In 2008, he had a quadruple bypass operation to unclog arteries that were up to 97 per cent blocked. He was also a diabetic and had problems with his lungs.

"He did lots of work for charity and even when he was very sick the charity was the first thing on his mind," said jockey John Cullen.