DUNCAN McGregor of Newtown Lodge Stud in Kildare died last Saturday, aged 84. His cremation service took place in Dublin on Wednesday.

Born and reared in Scotland, he worked in the oil business and had a lifelong interest in horse and greyhound racing.

His father-in-law Charlie Mallon trained Linwell to win the 1957 Gold Cup.

He retired in the 1980s and moved to Ireland, purchasing Newtown House Stud and investing in a few broodmares.

With the guidance of Robert Hall, he acquired Gradille, who bred La Meilleure, the grandam of Irish Derby winner, Soldier Of Fortune.

He retained some filly foals to race, including Dashing Colours, winner of the Joe McGrath Handicap and Listed Knockaire Stakes for trainer Danny Murphy.

He also bred Group 2 winner and sire Captain Marvelous, who finished third in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes for trainer Barry Hills.

He also dabbled in National Hunt stock and, in a recent interview with The Irish Field, he recalled the enjoyment he got from landing a gamble in a beginners chase at Down Royal in 1998 with Bracing Breeze, trained by Gerry Stack and ridden by a young Ruby Walsh.

In November 2022, McGregor spotted a mare named Danega from the family of Gradille in the Goffs November Sale. He bought the unraced mare for €16,000, unaware that she had a two-year-old colt in France who would soon be a classic winner.

Marhaba Ya Sanafi was the colt’s name and, trained by Andreas Schutz, he won the Poule d’Essai des Poulains at ParisLongchamp in May 2023.

Among those to express their sympathies on RIP.ie this week, fellow breeder Jeremy Hill said: “As a breeder of thoroughbreds, he was as good as you get. He stuck to what he knew and that was the Gradille family. I will miss conversations about antiques - furniture, silver and paintings. Duncan was a knowledgeable, honest, straightforward and decent man who will be sorely missed by us all. The light of heaven to him.”

McGregor was predeceased by his wife Lynn.