FORMER trainer John McLoughlin will be laid to rest today in St Conleth’s Cemetery in Kildare following 11am Mass in the Carmelite Church. He died on Wednesday, aged 75.

As a private owner-trainer on the Curragh, McLoughlin enjoyed his finest hour when saddling Gloriella to win the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot in 1988.

A year earlier he owned and trained Ireland’s champion two-year-old filly, the Group 2 winner Peace Girl.

A successful entrepreneur, he also trained stakes performers Buddy Marvel and Fill The Bill before retiring from training.

He kept involved and had a couple of winners with trainer Willie McCreery who said: “I knew John from my time as assistant to Charles O’Brien. He was great fun and a very clever man. He threw himself into racing and was a good character.

“One of the winners I trained for him was co-owned by Carmel Bowden and Annie O’Rourke, both of whom worked for John for many years.”

John’s health deteriorated in recent years and he is survived by his wife Monica and five children. In lieu of flowers, his family asks that donations be made to Kildare Day Care Centre and the Friends of Naas Hospital.