AIDAN O’Brien has paid tribute to racing fanatic Nick Coen, who died suddenly last Sunday night. He was just 33.

From Cabinteely in Co Dublin, Nick was an honorary member at Leopardstown meetings and was well-known to many trainers, jockeys and racing personalities who would chat with him outside the weighroom.

Aidan O’Brien said: “Nick was an inspiration to us all and we always looked forward to meeting him at the races. His enthusiasm and knowledge of the sport was second to none. He was a very special person and will be greatly missed by us all. On behalf of myself, Annemarie, Joseph, Sarah, Ana and Donnacha we would like to offer our sincere sympathies to his mum Ellen, his dad Patrick and his sister Isabel, whose dedication to Nick knew no bounds.”

Leopardstown chief executive Pat Keogh added: “Nick was a great friend of Leopardstown and never missed a meeting here. He knew everybody, he loved his horses and knew a good thing when he saw it.

“He was always in good form and I will always remember his very warm smile. We are all really going to miss Nick.”

Leading vet Des Leadon, a family friend, said of Nick: “He had a smile light a lighthouse and it acted as a magnet for people from every walk of life, but especially within the racing industry. Racing was his passion and he was a dedicated student of the form book. As a result, his was an opinion respected by very many. He never made reference to his difficulties and always expressed great concern for news of anyone who having a tough time.

“One of his many equine heroes was Free Eagle and just a very short time ago, pictures of that horse became Nicky’s wheelchair covers. A Group 1 horse for a Group 1 person.”

MICHAEL WILLIAMSON

Michael ‘Micko’ Williamson, a valet at Irish racecourses in the 1960s and 70s, died on Thursday in Dublin’s Blanchardstown Hospital. He was 85. His funeral Mass will take place on Monday in Blanchardstown with burial afterwards in Mulhuddart cemetery. Survived by nine children, he was predeceased by his wife May and son Michael junior.