FORMER trainer Tommy O’Neill was laid to rest on Thursday. Aged 70, he died peacefully on Monday after a short illness, surrounded by his family.

Based in Garristown, North Co Dublin, O’Neill was a dual-purpose trainer who typically saddled most of his winners on the summer circuit. Local track Laytown was particularly lucky for him, as was Down Royal, and he had Curragh winners too.

He saddled Tipper Road to win three races in 2006 and China Tealeaf won four for him in 1999. His gift for handling low-grade horses was exemplified by his handling of Bolero Dancer whom he sent out to race 91 times over 11 seasons between 1991 and 2001, winning eight times. Tommy retired from training in 2021.

His daughter Lisa was an extremely successful amateur rider, famously winning at the Cheltenham Festival on Tiger Roll, and landing two Kerry Nationals, all for trainer Gordon Elliott. She now works with HRI’s equuip and is a racing analyst with RTÉ and Racing TV.

Speaking to Racing TV at Limerick on Thursday, Elliott said: “I knew Tommy very well. He was a proper man who did a lot of horses for me over the last few years, looking after horses with little problems. It’s a tough time for the family but they’re close and will keep their heads up.

“Tommy was a gentleman, a character and a great man to meet racing. He’d always have a bit of a joke and saw the better side of life. Lisa is obviously a big part of my team and I couldn’t say enough good things about her. She’s a brilliant lady; the sort of person you’d love to have as a daughter or if you had a son, the sort of lady you’d want them to marry. I think that just shows the parents that she’s come from.”

Tommy O’Neill is survived by his wife Margaret and their children Graham, Lisa and Siobhan.