THE funeral Mass for Paddy Woods, the former jump jockey closely associated with Arkle and one of the most popular figures in Irish racing for decades, takes place at 11am today [Saturday] in Ratoath, Co Meath. He died on Tuesday, aged 93.

Having previously worked with trainers Charlie Rogers and Dan Moore, Woods joined the Tom Dreaper stable in 1956 and became a key member of the team there during a golden era in the 1960s.

He rode Arkle, still widely regarded as the greatest steeplechaser of all time, in one race - which they won - and partnered the great horse in most of his work at home.

Arkle went on to win three Cheltenham Gold Cups.

Jim Dreaper said: “Paddy learned a lot about racehorses in his time working in various yards. He was a good judge, a good jockey and a good man. Paddy was a livewire and he knew the time of day. Although Paddy remained a great racing enthusiast in recent years, I think the GAA was his real passion. He followed Meath football through thick and thin, and he had strong opinions on the sport.”

From Ratoath in Co Meath, Woods lived in a house on the Dreaper farm where he and his late wife Phyllis reared a family. Their son Francis became a leading jump jockey, based with Arthur Moore, and is now part of the Rathbarry Stud management team.

As a jockey himself, Paddy Woods won two Irish Grand Nationals for Tom Dreaper, on Last Link and Splash.

After retiring as a rider aged 40, he took out a trainer’s licence and enjoyed success in the Conyngham Cup at Punchestown and the Ladies Cup, and in the Kerry Grand National with Beech King.

In more recent times he was a sales representative for Gain Equine Nutrition, only retiring in 2012 at the age of 82.

He is survived by sons Edward and Francis, and daughters Margaret, Siobhán, Suzanne, Ann, Elizabeth and Charlotte.