Trainer Sam Kavanagh has lost his brave battle with cancer at just 38 years of age

The thoroughbred racing industry is in mourning following the passing of Sam Kavanagh who lost his brave battle with cancer overnight.

Sam Kavanagh has sadly passed away.

Newcastle trainer Sam Kavanagh passed away early on Saturday morning after a long battle with illness. He was only 38.

Kavanagh was diagnosed with oesophagus cancer last year. Despite receiving the best treatments available, the disease spread to other areas of his body before tragically claiming his life.

The trainer’s last runner was a winner – Sharpen The Knives led throughout to win by two lengths at Armidale last Monday, finally breaking his maiden after nine minor placings from his first 13 starts.

Kavanagh, popular among his peers, had been steadily rebuilding his career after initially being disqualified for nine years in 2015 for race day treatment and cobalt-related offences. His penalty was reduced to four years on appeal.

The talented trainer had 19 horses in work at his Newcastle stables including the promising English import, Wrathful, and improving mare Lady Ichikawa.

Kavanagh, the son of Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Mark, took out a trainer’s licence in 2012 and trained a number of very good horses including Tales Of Grimm (2015 Scone Cup), Midsummer Sun (2014 Gosford Cup), Interspersed (2014 Canberra Guineas), Absalon (2013 Recognition Stakes), and Bagman, (2012 Balaklava Cup, Tokyo City Cup and Matrice Stakes).

In a podcast interview with journalist Neil Breen 14 months ago, Kavanagh opened up about his role in the saga.

“I was a young person, I was aggressive,’’ Kavanagh said.

“I still say to this day I treated horses as bleeders and ‘done’ race-day treatments so I’m not guilty of ‘nothing’ but I’m not guilty of this (cobalt offences).

“But there is no point me sitting here saying I was hard done by, at the end of the day I put myself in that position.’’

Kavanagh described the protracted stewards inquiry and then the lengthy battle to get relicensed as a trainer as “character-building” before revealing he had not spoken to his father since the incident.

In recent months, Kavanagh had been putting on a brave face and going to race meetings as often as possible even though it was sadly apparent cancer was taking a toll on him.

Kavanagh is survived by his partner, Kelly, and their 11-year-old daughter, Sienna.

Originally published as Trainer Sam Kavanagh has lost his brave battle with cancer at just 38 years of age