HOMER Scott, a leading National Hunt trainer of the 1980s, has died. He would have been 69 later this month. Based in Castledermot, Co Kildare, he suffered from diabetes, was receiving dialysis regularly and had been in poor health for some time.

His two Cheltenham victories arrived seven years apart – Omerta in the National Hunt Chase in 1986 when Scott was only 29, and Rhythm Section in the second running of the Champion Bumper in 1993.

Paul Carberry, rider of Rhythm Section, said: “That’s very sad news. He was a lovely man and a great trainer. He gave me that opportunity when I was a 5lb claimer. He booked me a month in advance so he fancied him. On the day we beat Noel Meade’s favourite [Heist] and that was one of the reasons why Noel gave me the job as his number one rider, so I owe a lot to Homer.”

The Committee was unlucky not to add to his trainer’s Cheltenham tally, finishing placed three times – second to future Gold Cup victor Garrison Savannah in the Sun Alliance Chase in 1990. Then, after being off the track for nearly two years, placing third and second in the Kim Muir in 1993 and 1994. He was just a short-head off on the latter occasion.

Canute Express and Saraemma were just two other top-flight horses who claimed big pots on both sides of the water, while Scott finished second to Paddy Mullins in the trainers’ table with 50 winners in one season.

From 20 winners and 171 runners in Ireland in the 1993-94 season, he hit just eight from 160 the following campaign and only had sporadic winners in the years that followed.

In more recent times he enjoyed success on the flat with prolific sprinter Strong Johnson and he stood the stallion Rajj at his Lisheen Stud in Kilkea. He sourced Rajj from Noel Furlong, who at one time had top class hurdler The Illiad in training with Scott.

Scott had his final runner In 2022 and was forced to surrender his training licence that year following an investigation into reports of horses being mistreated at his yard.