RACEHORSE owner and Grade 1 race sponsor Frank Ward died on Wednesday, aged 70, as a result of injuries he received in a recent traffic accident.

His legal firm, Frank Ward & Co, sponsored the Irish Arkle at Leopardstown for 10 years. From Foxrock, he owned horses with numerous trainers over the years. Among the best of them was Dudley Do Right, trained by Tom Taaffe.

He served on the board of both Leopardstown and the Tote in the past.

He is survived by his wife Mary and their five children. Funeral details are not yet known and friends are advised to check rip.ie over the weekend for more information.

Leopardstown CEO Pat Keogh said: “Frank never missed a big day here and I used to meet him regularly and have good discussions about Leopardstown. He knew our community really well so he was always a great man to bounce ideas off. You always came away the wiser from a meeting with Frank and with a smile on your face. We have lost a great friend.”