Pat Eddery

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Pat Eddery
Jockey Pat Eddery at Mahalaxmi(2000's).jpg
Eddery at Mahalaxmi Racecourse in 2000
Occupation Jockey
Born (1952-03-18)18 March 1952
Newbridge, Ireland
Died 10 November 2015(2015-11-10) (aged 63)
Major racing wins
British Classic Race wins as jockey:
2000 Guineas (3)
1000 Guineas (1)
Epsom Derby (3)
Epsom Oaks (3)
St Leger Stakes (4)[1]
Racing awards
British flat racing Champion Jockey 11 times (1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1996)
Honours
OBE
Significant horses
Polygamy, Grundy, Scintillate, Detroit, Storm Bird, Kings Lake, Golden Fleece, Assert, Lomond, El Gran Senor, Rainbow Quest), Dancing Brave, Moon Madness, Warning, Zafonic, Quest for Fame, Toulon, Moonax, Bosra Sham, Lady Carla, Silver Patriarch

Patrick James John "Pat" Eddery (18 March 1952 – 10 November 2015) was an Irish flat racing jockey and horse trainer. He rode three winners of the Epsom Derby, and was Champion Jockey on eleven occasions. He is co-holder of the record for most wins in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. He rode the winners of 4,632 British flat races, a figure exceeded only by Sir Gordon Richards.[2]

Background[edit]

Eddery's class at Oatlands Primary School in Stillorgan

Eddery was born in Newbridge, County Kildare,[3] although his birth was registered in Dublin.[4] He was the fifth child of Jimmy Eddery, a jockey who rode Panaslipper to win the Irish Derby in 1955,[5] and Josephine (the daughter of jockey Jack Moylan).[3] His brother, Paul, also went on to become a jockey. He attended Oatlands Primary School in Stillorgan.

Riding career[edit]

Eddery began his career as an apprentice jockey in Ireland with the stable of Seamus McGrath. In 1967 he moved to England where he was apprenticed to Frenchie Nicholson and recorded his first success on Alvaro at Epsom Downs Racecourse on 24 April 1969. While still riding as an apprentice he won the Wokingham Handicap and the Timeform Gold Cup in 1969, the Northumberland Plate in 1970 and the Goodwood Stakes in 1971, a year in which he won the title of Champion Apprentice Jockey.[5] Eddery was never an elegant jockey, owing to his habit of bouncing up and down in the saddle as he urged his mounts on, but was undeniably effective. Frenchie Nicholson said that he regretted the fact that his protegee abandoned the "quiet, refined" style he had been taught but admitted that the young jockey stood out as being "in total harmony" with the horses he rode.[6]

Eddery rode for the Newmarket trainer Geoffrey Barling in 1972 before taking over as the stable jockey for Peter Walwyn later that year. For Walwyn he won his first two classic races on Polygamy and Grundy and was Champion Jockey in four consecutive seasons from 1974 to 1977.[5] In 1975 he rode Grundy to defeat Bustino for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot Racecourse[7] in what became known as Britain's "Race of the Century".[8]

In the following decade, Eddery became associated with the Ballydoyle stable of Vincent O'Brien and gained further classic success on Kings Lake, Lomond, Golden Fleece, Assert and El Gran Senor. In 1986 he took over from Greville Starkey as the rider of Dancing Brave. He partnered Dancing Brave to victory in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe[9] and subsequently became the retained jockey of the colt's owner, Khalid Abdullah. Major winners in the Abdullah colours included Zafonic, Quest for Fame Warning and Toulon. He was Champion Jockey a further seven times in eleven years between 1986 and 1996.

Eddery also rode several major winners outside Europe including Jupiter Island in the 1986 Japan Cup and Pebbles in the 1985 Breeders' Cup Turf[10] In North America he also won the Arlington Million on Tolomeo, the Canadian International Stakes on French Glory and the Breeders' Cup Sprint on Sheikh Albadou.

In 1990 he was the winner of the inaugural Lester Award for Flat Jockey of the Year, which he again won in 1991 and 1996, sharing on the latter occasion with Frankie Dettori. He also received two Flat Jockey Special Recognition awards in 2002 and 2003. He retired from the saddle at the end of the 2003 flat season and stated that he had no intention of becoming a trainer.[6]

Eddery summed up his attitude to the sport by saying, "That's all part of the game, going to the Folkestones and the smaller tracks, because it's not Royal Ascot every day. You've got to be out there every day working those muscles, riding in every race if you want to be at your best. There may be more money for a Derby than a seller but that doesn't make you try any harder. A winner is a winner."[11]

Training career[edit]

Despite his earlier statements, in July 2005, Eddery was granted a training license and set up a stable of 40 horses at Musk Hill Stud in Nether Winchendon, near Aylesbury.[3] His brother, Paul Eddery, was Assistant Trainer and his Racing Manager was Simon Double who also co-founded Pat Eddery Racing, the racehorse syndication company which provided the opportunity for people to own shares in racehorses.

Eddery's first runner as a trainer was Perez, who finished second in an all-weather maiden race at Wolverhampton in December 2005. His first training success was with the horse Visionist in a handicap race at Kempton Park in April 2006. His first winner on turf was the two-year-old filly Cavort in a maiden 6 furlong race at Goodwood. His trainer career culminated with Hearts Of Fire winning Italy's Group 1 Gran Criterium in 2009.[12] He sent out his final runner in the week before his death.[13]

In 2005 he was awarded an honorary OBE, which he described as "a great honour".[14]

Family[edit]

Eddery's ex-wife, Carolyn, was the daughter of flat jockey Manny Mercer, niece of jockey Joe Mercer, and granddaughter of jockey Harry Wragg.[15] They had two daughters, Nicola & Natasha and a son Harry. Pat also has another son, Toby Atkinson, who followed his father footsteps and became a jockey.[16]

Death[edit]

Eddery died on 10 November 2015, aged 63.[where?] He had long battled alcoholism.[17][18][19]

Major wins as a jockey[edit]

United Kingdom Great Britain

Canada Canada

France France

Germany Germany

Republic of Ireland Ireland

Italy Italy

Japan Japan

Slovakia Slovakia

  • Slovenské Derby – (1) – Lonango (1997) [20]

United States United States

Major wins as a trainer[edit]

Italy Italy

References[edit]

  1. ^ Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1990). Horse Racing: Records, Facts, Champions (Third Edition). Guinness Publishing. ISBN 0-85112-902-1. 
  2. ^ "Jockey Duffield retires aged 58". BBC Sport. BBC. 11 March 2005. Retrieved 10 November 2015. 
  3. ^ a b c Sean Magee. "Pat Eddery obituary". the Guardian. 
  4. ^ "Ireland Civil Registration Indexes, 1845-1958". FamilySearch. Retrieved 10 November 2015. 
  5. ^ a b c Mortimer, Roger; Onslow, Richard; Willett, Peter (1978). Biographical Encyclopedia of British Flat Racing. Macdonald and Jane's. ISBN 0-354-08536-0. 
  6. ^ a b Chris Cook. "A great jockey with an individual style". The Guardian. 
  7. ^ Timeform staff (1976). Racehorses of 1975. Timeform. 
  8. ^ Chris Cook (24 July 2015). "Grundy versus Bustino: the Race of the Century 40 years on". The Guardian. 
  9. ^ Timeform staff (1987). Racehorses of 1986. Timeform. ISBN 0-900599-44-8. 
  10. ^ Timeform staff (1986). Racehorses of 1985. Timeform. ISBN 0-900599-42-1. 
  11. ^ "Pat Eddery, jockey - obituary". Daily Telegraph. 10 November 2015. 
  12. ^ "Legendary jockey Pat Eddery dies aged 63". Racing UK. Retrieved 10 November 2015. 
  13. ^ Cook, Chris. "Pat Eddery, 11 times champion jockey, dies aged 63". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 November 2015. 
  14. ^ "Eddery to be honoured with OBE". BBC Sport. 25 February 2005. 
  15. ^ "Flying Colours". archive.org. 2006. Retrieved 19 March 2007. 
  16. ^ "EXCLUSIVE: The secret of Eddery's son - How Toby the apprentice is getting a leg up from famous dad". dailymail.co.uk. 20 March 2009. Retrieved 17 November 2015. 
  17. ^ "Pat Eddery's daughter reveals flat jockey's alcoholism troubles", dailymail.co.uk; accessed 11 November 2015.
  18. ^ "Racing great Pat Eddery dies at the age of 63". Racing Post. Retrieved 10 November 2015. 
  19. ^ "Pat Eddery dies, aged 63". Sportinglife. Retrieved 10 November 2015. 
  20. ^ "Petrzalka on track ten top horses". SME Bratislava. 19 July 2002. Retrieved 11 November 2015. 
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