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North Yorkshire handler enjoyed fabulous association with Jodami and many others.

Peter Beaumont, trainer of 1993 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Jodami, has died at the age of 85.

Young Kenny, Hussard Collonges, J-J Henry and Bobby Grant were among the other top National Hunt performers for North Yorkshire-based Beaumont in a 24-year career.

His daughter Anthea Morshead – who rode J-J Henry to victory for her father in the Topham Chase over the Grand National fences at Aintree in 1991 – said: "I know he was 85 and not in rude health, but he hadn't been in bad health just recently so I wasn't expecting it at all.

"This weekend he was in pretty good spirits and he just died peacefully in his sleep during the night, so that's a good thing.

"He truly loved his horses and he was a great horseman and a stock-man. He had great patience with these horses like Jodami, Young Kenny, Bobby Grant and Hussard Collonges. He was especially good with those staying chases.

"The big thing about him was he had so many friends. He gathered friends wherever he was because he was a truly kind, decent man. He always had time for everybody."

She added: "It was it was a fantastic day when J-J Henry won at Aintree, with him having started in point-to-points like dad. It was a great day. Mum was still with us. We had a lot of great days."

Beaumont began training on the point-to-point scene from his base at Foulrice Farm near Brandsby, and first took out a licence under rules in 1986.

Despite only having a small string of horses, it was not long before Beaumont showed he could take on the established names and win.

Jodami was the undoubted star, with a host of victories that included a hat-trick in the Irish Hennessy Gold Cup from 1993-1995 and two Peter Marsh Chases at Haydock in 1993 and 1997.

But it was in the Gold Cup of 1993 that Jodami excelled in the hands of Mark Dwyer, as they got home by two lengths from Rushing Wild. Jodami was also second to The Fellow in 1994.

Dwyer said: "It's very sad. He was a great man and we had some great days together with Jodami, obviously. He won three Irish Gold Cups as well as the Cheltenham Gold Cup, so he had a great record and Peter did a great job with him.

"He was a very straightforward horse, but he did take a lot of getting fit and Peter did brilliantly to have him at his peak for the days that mattered at Leopardstown and Cheltenham."

Among other key victories for Beaumont, who retired in January 2010, were Young Kenny in the Greenalls Grand National Trial, the Midlands and Scottish Grand Nationals in early 1999 and Hussard Collonges in the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at Cheltenham in 2002.

Dwyer added: "He was very easy to ride for. If anything needed to be said he'd say it, but more often than not he'd leave it to you.

"Anthea played a big part as well – they were a great team."

Russ Garrity also enjoyed plenty of big days in the saddle for Beaumont, and said: "Peter was a great trainer and on top of that a man of his word and a complete gentleman.

"I had some great times with him, winning the Becher Chase at Aintree on Young Kenny, the big handicap chase at Haydock (Tommy Whittle) on Bobby Grant and the SunAlliance (RSA) Chase on Hussard Collonges. I think he's probably the last northern-based horse to go down there and win the SunAlliance.

"There were some good days, but to be honest, every day riding for someone like Peter was a highlight.

"My thoughts are with Anthea and the rest of his family."

Beaumont also leaves a son, Stuart, and one grandchild, Henry (Anthea Morshead's son).