Racing mourns Christy 'Speedy' Grassick
Thursday 31 July 2014 23:33, UK
Former Irish trainer Christy 'Speedy' Grassick has died aged 83, confirmed his granddaughter, Sally Ann Grassick.
A distinguished jockey from a great racing family, Grassick also enjoyed a fine training career from Deer Park Stables in the Phoenix Park, Dublin.
Grassick saddled Godswalk, who would become one of Coolmore's first stallions, to victory in the 1976 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot.
He also enjoyed success at the Cheltenham Festival when Noble Life claimed the 1972 Supreme Novices' Hurdle.
Aintree winner Oisin Dubh was another flag-bearer for the Grassick yard.
Sally Ann Grassick told Press Association Sport: "He was a man who always set the highest standards for all of our family, both in his personal and professional life. He always had time for everyone and treated everybody as equals.
"The comments I have received today, from people in every part of the industry, is testament to that. Along with my dad, he made me proud to tell people I'm a Grassick.
"I was lucky to have been able to have two members of my family as my mentors.
"To many he was known as 'Speedy', but to us he was simply a wonderful husband, dad and granddad."
Grassick is survived by his wife, Alice, and his children, Michael, Christy, Ronan, Martin, Kathleen, Carol and Sally Ann.
Grassick's other son, Brian, a respected bloodstock agent and the owner of Newtown Stud, Co Kildare, died in 2009.
