RACEHORSE owner Fergus Jones died earlier this month, following an illness. He would have been 60 this week.

Brother of Mary Moore, Arthur’s wife, and of Timmy Jones, he was a first cousin of Chris Jones, owned of Klairon Davis, Coeur Sublime, et cetera.

Fergus owned Rag Top, winner of five races in 2002 for trainer Richard Hannon, including the Debutante Stakes at the Curragh. The filly was also placed in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot.

A stockbroker based in London, Fergus was a regular visitor to Leopardstown, Punchestown and Cheltenham. He moved to Valencia in Spain about 10 years ago and was a less frequent visitor in recent years as he battled cancer.

He is survived by siblings Mary, Tim, John, Irene, Therese, Evelyn, Dominic and Ciaran.

One of his friends was Danny Durkan, whom Fergus nicknamed “Toad” and is referenced in the verse below, which was penned by John Osborne.

Fergus

Plaque on wall – McCormack’s pub

The story of a noble Dub

‘Fore Twitter, X or mobile phones

The legend who was Fergus Jones

Long, long ago, when times were thin

We watered at The Manor Inn

Each jockey, vagabond and stones

Was there to meet with Fergus Jones

One night the English came to Naas

Sparring for a fight or race

“I love, not fight” our man bemoans,

“We’ll race your best” says Fergus Jones

Nas-na-Ri, the fort of kings

Is used to seeing funny things

But all the kings on all the thrones

Were boring next to Fergus Jones

We set it up, four-thousand feet

Entire length of the Main Street

To The Manor Inn from Mick Malone's

The perfect trip for Fergus Jones

Halford, Powell, Shortt and Toad

Were lined up all along the road

To cheer him, give it all he owns,

The secret weapon, Fergus Jones

On England’s empire, sun ne’er set

But foe like Fergus they’d not met

No Coe’s, Ovett’s no Michael Owens

Could run as fast as Fergus Jones

A race for pride, but mostly cash

Was reason for this famous dash

Coral, Ladbrokes and Fred Done’s

They all paid out on Fergus Jones

We loved his style, his biting wit

We loved that Fergus took no shit

We love him to his very bones

Our greatest sportsman, Fergus Jones.