Champion Jockey Pat Eddery Dies

Pat Eddery, 11-time champion jockey in Britain and the winner of four G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphes, has died at age 63. The winner of more than 4,600 races in the saddle was reported to be in ill health as of late. Eddery had some of his finest moment in the silks of Khalid Adbullah and that owner/breeder’s Racing Manager Teddy Grimthorpe confirmed Eddery’s death Tuesday, saying, “It is extremely sad news. Everyone at Juddmonte is very shocked and saddened by it.”

Born in Newbridge, Co. Kildare, Ireland on Mar. 18, 1952, Eddery was the fifth of 12 children. His father, Jimmy, was a Group 1-winning jockey and his brother Paul was a successful jockey while his brother Robert was an accomplished trainer. Eddery began riding out for trainer Seamus McGrath at age eight and became an apprentice for that conditioner at 14.

Eddery later moved across the Irish Sea and became champion apprentice in Britain in 1971 and in 1974 he earned his first of four consecutive champion jockey titles. He won his first of three Epsom Derbies in 1975 aboard Grundy before riding him to victory over Bustino in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. in what is considered one of the greatest races of all time. Eddery also won the blue riband aboard Golden Fleece in 1982 and Quest For Fame eight years later.

Eddery became the retained rider to Robert Sangster in 1981, and won many important contests on the likes of El Gran Senor, Caerleon, Sadler’s Wells and Golden Fleece for trainer Vincent O’Brien. His first of a record-equaling four wins in the Arc came in the Sangster silks with Detroit in 1980. In 1986–the same year he picked up his next champion jockey title–Eddery rode Khalid Abdullah’s Dancing Brave to a memorable victory in the Arc and King George, and the following year Eddery became retained rider to that owner, a post he held until 1994.

”He spanned the greatest era for jockeys ever,” Grimthorpe said. “Lester Piggott, Steve Cauthen, Willie Carson–all were exceptional, yet Pat’s ability was unquestioned.”

Eddery’s remaining championship titles came in 1988-91, 1993 and 1996, and he was also champion jockey in Ireland in 1982. He rode at least 100 winners every year from 1973 to 2001 bar 1982, and his winningest season was in 1990, when he recorded 209 wins. On June 26, 1992, he rode seven winners in a day–three at Newmarket and four at Newcastle. Only Sir Gordon Richards rode more winners and was champion more times than Eddery, who had 4,632 victories in the UK and 11 titles, the same as Lester Piggott.

Eddery also snatched a handful of big-race wins in the U.S., including the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf with Pebbles in 1985; the GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint in 1991 with Sheikh Albadou; and the 1983 GI Arlington Million with Tolomeo.

Eddery took out his training license after retiring from the saddle and his most important win came with Hearts Of Fire (GB) (Firebreak {GB}) in the G1 Gran Criterium in Italy in 2009.

Tributes to Eddery flowed in from many racing personalities Tuesday, and jockey-turned-trainer Richard Hughes said, “It’s a great shame. I remember the epic battle he had with Steve Cauthen in the 80s very well, and he also rode winners for my dad [Dessie Hughes]. His greatest attribute was that I never once saw a horse pull with him on the way to the start–he had such great hands and was a perfect build.”

“He was the same with everybody, It didn’t matter who you were, a claimer or a champion,” Hughes added, “It’s a sad day as he was a good friend.”

Eddery’s former rival Steve Cauthen said, “The first time I remember Pat was in the spring of 1979. All the guys were so welcoming and Pat was one of the easiest-going guys you could meet. He was very strong but though his style was unusual, horses responded.”

Ray Cochrane, a former jockey and now agent to Frankie Dettori, described Eddery as a “great fellow.”

“He was great to be around and one of the best ever,” Cochrane added. “I sat next to him for 27 years [in the weighing room] and never had a cross word with him. One of the best things you could say about him was that everyone wanted to beat him, and when you did you were thrilled. It didn’t matter if it was a seller or a Classic, he wanted to win them all the same.”

Bruce Raymond, another former weighing room colleague, said, “I can’t imagine anyone being in his company and not enjoying it. I was with him abroad–Hong Kong, Italy, Germany, everywhere. He was good, fun guy and very generous. He was blooming tough to ride against and cool. He was ultra competitive. He would beat you in a photograph and laugh about it afterwards.”