Dessie Hughes, who enjoyed a hugely successful career as both a jockey and a trainer, has died at the age of 71.
He rode Monksfield to Champion Hurdle glory in 1979 and also saddled Hardy Eustace to victory in the Cheltenham Festival timber highlight in 2004 and 2005.
Hughes, who had been battling illness, is survived by his wife Eileen, son and three-time champion Flat jockey Richard and daughter Sandra.
Conor O'Dwyer, who rode Hardy Eustace in both his Champion Hurdle triumphs, said: "There's gentlemen and then there was Dessie Hughes.
"I've ridden for many good people during my career, but Dessie really stood out as a proper gentleman.
"We had some brilliant times together, some of the best times of my career. No one ever had a bad word to say about Dessie, and Dessie never had a bad word to say about anyone.
"He'd had some hard times, but he'd come through and seemed to be enjoying the best of his career. It's a sad day for everyone and for racing."
Eddie O'Leary, racing manager for leading owners Gigginstown House Stud, who had horses with Hughes, said: "He was a fantastic trainer and a lovely man. He was a true gent.
"He will be sorely and deeply missed by all in racing.
"Thunder Of Roses will not run at Punchestown today as a mark of respect to the man."
Brian Kavanagh, chief executive of Horse Racing Ireland, tweeted: "RIP Dessie Hughes. A great trainer, great jockey and an absolute gentleman. Sympathies to Eileen, Richard and Sandra."
Another of Hughes's patrons was Barry Connell, who sent him the exciting novice chaser The Tullow Tank at the start of this season and also owned top hurdler Our Conor.
He said: "The first thing to say about Dessie is that he was an absolute gentleman.
"He had a fantastic career in racing. As a jockey he rode the winner of a Gold Cup and a Champion Hurdle.
"As a trainer, he trained the Champion Hurdle winner twice. He was a man who was very loyal to his staff and respected them a lot.
"He was very much an old school trainer, who was very hands on and took great pride in his horses and his staff.
"He also took great pride in his family, particularly Richard. It was marvellous he was able to see him be champion jockey.
"I think one of his best attributes was his ability to train. When he got a good horse he was able to keep him sound year after year and the horses always ran to their highest level of form.
"He'll be sadly missed."
Speaking at Punchestown, Champion trainer Willie Mullins told At The Races: "I would call him the professional's professional. He very seldom made a wrong choice.
"I remember the first time I rode in a professional race at Punchestown and I thought I'd follow Dessie Hughes.
"He won the race. I was third or fourth and I got such an insight on how to ride a race.
"He was a fantastic jockey and brought that same ability to his training career. He always had a top team of horses and a great team of loyal owners. He had a great team behind him. Our sympathy is with everyone."
Owner JP McManus summed up the sombre mood in the racing fraternity in Ireland, saying: "It's a sad day, you could feel it the minute you walked into Punchestown how low the mood is.
"Dessie was a perfect gentleman, trainer, jockey - he was everything you would want in a person.
"He will be missed, but he won't be forgotten. His family are all in our thoughts."
Six of Hughes' winners at the Cheltenham Festival, including Davy Lad in the 1977 Gold Cup, were for trainer Mick O'Toole.
He said: "Dessie was with me a long time and it was a lucky day for me when he came along.
"We had many great days together, and he rode six Cheltenham Festival winners for me.
"He was a very consistent rider, very strong in a finish and a great man to school horses."
Noel Meade, seven-times champion trainer, was overcome with emotion.
He said: "He was a great friend and a pal to everyone really.
"Dessie was the sort of fella that nobody would have a bad word to say about. It's hard to talk about."
Fellow trainer and RTÉ analyst Ted Walsh said: "He was a lovely man. All his life he wanted to be a jockey, and he turned out to be a hugely successful one. Then when he retired he wanted to be a trainer, and he turned out to be a hugely successful one.
"And with Richard being champion jockey - it's sad, but he achieved everything a father or man could want to do. Dessie achieved it.
"It's so sad that he's gone so quickly, he was a wonderful man.
"Racing will be all the poorer without him, and we will be too because he was a joy to meet."
Roger Loughran, part of the Hughes team for many years, also joined the tributes.
He rode a lot of the stable's good horses to victory including Schindlers Hunt to two Grade One triumphs, Central House, Black Apalachi and Grangeclare Lark.
Loughran said: "It's very sad. I rode plenty of top winners in good races for him. One of his best attributes was his attention to detail. It was second to none. He ate and slept racing the whole time."
When Hughes drove Monksfield to victory in the 1979 Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, the partnership withstood the challenge of Sea Pigeon, ridden by Jonjo O'Neill, by three-quarters of a length.
O'Neill, now a highly successful trainer at Jackdaws Castle, tweeted: "So sad to hear of passing of Dessie Hughes. We had some great tussles in the past and he was a lovely man."
A minute's silence was held at Cheltenham and Punchestown, with jockeys wearing black armbands as a mark of respect.
