ON May 18th, two weeks from today, Eddie McGrath plans to go racing at Ffos Las in Wales, and in doing so he will then have attended every racecourse in Ireland and Britain.

Enjoying retirement, Eddie goes racing several days each week and we caught up with him at Punchestown this week. “My previous claim to fame was that I was among the first class to graduate from the Irish National Stud’s thoroughbred breeding course in 1971. I actually did the course twice, which also might be a record!”

Eddie went on to have a career outside of racing and lived in England during the 1970s but his love of racing never dimmed. “I started ticking off all the English racecourses I had attended. For example, I might stay in Cheltenham for a week and do four or five tracks in that area. Then I moved up north and did a few there, and so on.”

Asked to pick out some of his favourite venues, Eddie suggested Hexham, Kelso, Taunton, Ludlow and Wincanton.

Some friends will be joining Eddie on his trip to Ffos Las on May 18th, as will commentator Jerry Hannon. Eddie considers himself a decent paddock judge and would love the opportunity to select the best turned-out for one race. Maybe Jerry could arrange for Eddie to do the commentaries as well!