A regional sports reporter who went on to become a respected horse racing pundit has died aged 68.

Tributes have been paid to Ray Gilpin, pictured left, by former colleagues and figures in the racing world, including a former Grand National winner.

Ray worked for both North Wales Newspapers and the Birmingham Evening Mail during a career which saw him become senior northern reporter for the Racing Post.

Originally from Wrexham, Ray was a promising footballer in his youth and once played for Wales schoolboys against England.

The Leader’s obituary to Ray states that in that game, future England manager Terry Venables was his opposite number.

His first ever job in sport was as the racing correspondent for North Wales Newspapers, and he later moved to become racing editor at the Birmingham Evening Mail before taking on the role at the Racing Post.

In his later career he freelanced for the Post, the Press Association and Racing UK.

Current Leader racing correspondent Arthur Shone told the paper: “Ray was from Wrexham and was very proud of his Welsh roots.

“He lived and breathed horse racing, he was so passionate about the sport. Lester Piggott was his hero, he even called his dog Lester.

Ray was a lifelong socialist who was never without his trademark red scarf on the racecourse.

Arthur added: “He was for many years vice-president of the Horse Race Writers and Photographers Association, and did a great job in that role on our behalf. He will be sadly missed by his pressroom colleagues.

“He had a very dry sense of humour. He often had the pressroom in stitches with some of his off the cuff one liners.

“He was always approachable to everyone. My thoughts are with his wife Sue.”

BBC racing correspondent Cornelius Lysaght has also paid tribute on Twitter, describing Ray as an “old pro, proud Welshman, straight talker, wicked sense of humour”.

Brendan Powell, 1988 Grand National winning jockey, added he was “a lovely man and great to deal with”.

Ray, who lived in Yorkshire, passed away earlier this month after a long illness and his funeral was held yesterday.