North Yorkshire's racing fraternity was in mourning today following the death yesterday of top trainer Jimmy FitzGerald. He was 69.

The Malton handler will always be remembered as the trainer of 1985 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Forgive'N Forget but he was one of a rare breed who enjoyed success under both codes.

NORTH Yorkshire's racing fraternity was in mourning today after top Norton-based trainer Jimmy FitzGerald died, at the age of 69, after a long illness.

The popular horse handler will forever be remembered for training the 1985 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Forgive 'N Forget - but "Jimmy Fitz", as he was known, was a rare breed who found success as a trainer both over jumps and on the flat.

Born in 1935, in the village of Horse And Jockey, in County Tipperary, Ireland, James Gerard FitzGerald started his career in racing at the very bottom, working as a stable lad.

He spent a decade in the saddle winning 123 races and piloting Brasher to victory in the 1965 Scottish Grand National before his career was cut short by a fractured skull sustained in a fall in 1966.

As a trainer, Mr FitzGerald turned Norton Grange Farm, Norton, into one of the strongest jumps centres in Britain.

He was granted a training licence in 1969 and scored a victory with only his second horse, Archer, at Market Rasen on August 2 of that year.

Over a glittering career, Mr FitzGerald trained more than 1,200 winners over both jumps and flat races.

But it was Forgive 'N Forget's triumph in the 1985 Cheltenham Gold Cup which undoubtedly provided him with the biggest success of his career.

Ridden by Mark Dwyer, the heavily backed 5/2 favourite held off Righthand Man for the victory.

It was revealed later that the winning trophy was used by the FitzGerald clan at daughter Kirsty's christening.

Other Festival winners included Danish Flight, Uncle Ernie and Canny Danny. FitzGerald also won a Hennessy Gold Cup with Galway Blaze and back-to back Scottish Nationals with Androma in 1984 and 1985, becoming only the second man to have ridden and trained a winner of the great race.

On the flat, Mr FitzGerald brought joy to Yorkshire hearts when Sapience won the 1989 Ebor under Pat Eddery.

The trainer also twice took the Cesarewitch, the Northumberland Plate and the Lincoln Handicap.

His son, Tim, inherited the yard in the spring of 2003.

Mr FitzGerald leaves three children: Tim and Siobhan from his first marriage; and Kirsty from his second marriage to Jane, who predeceased him.

Mark Dwyer, FitzGerald's former stable jockey over jumps, said: "We had many good times. Forgive 'N Forget would obviously be one of the highlights, but there were many others, including Galway Blaze winning the Hennessy and Androma the Scottish National.

"Jimmy was a good all-round horseman and there was no one better at getting a horse ready for the big day.

"It's very sad and I feel sorry for his family."

Mr FitzGerald was instrumental in guiding the fledgling career of current flat champion jockey Kieren Fallon when he came over from Ireland.

Fallon said: "He was a great friend and I admired him a lot.

"The game will not seem the same without him.

"He was a great hero to me. He was always there for me, especially when I went off the rails a bit, and I wouldn't be where I am today but for him."

Malton trainer Richard Fahey was a conditional jockey under Mr FitzGerald's wing for two years.

He said: "He was a very hard man, but fair. He was a great trainer.

"He could get a horse ready for the big day, unbelievable."

Updated: 10:09 Thursday, October 07, 2004