Pat Eddery RIP

Pat Eddery and El Gran Senor. He drove that horse like a Mini Cooper.

That was the golden age of flat racing. Carson, Eddery, Cauthen, Starkey, Swinburn and Piggott; and the second rank were mustard too.

really shocked and gutted by this news when i found out at lunch time ...

just been through all his major wins on wiki (and there are a hell of a lot) and i can honestly say i don't remember backing any of them!

just always known him to be one of the greatest jockeys of all time...rip legend.

Must say i was shocked when i heard this on the radio this morning, had no idea he was very ill. As a youngster getting into racing he was my early favourite jockey remember i backed him on if i'm correct his 1st derby ride, Freefoot in the 73 race won by Morston, came 3rd i think. Always in trouble with the stewards for his cavalier riding but what a great jockey he became, god bless Pat and thanks for all those wonderful memories! RIP.

First ride in derby was Pentland Firth - 3rd

Memory playing tricks, yes that was 72 behind Roberto, pretty sure Freefoot got 3rd in 73 also.

Shocked and saddened, one of the greats, fav memory was his confident ride on Celeric to beat Classic Cliche, RIP.

is everybody on this thread the same age ?

RIP condolences to the family

Just arrived home and logged on . Cannot believe this news. Absolutely awful. A great great jockey. In my top three of all time. I remember having a weeks wages on one of his mounts when a weeks wage was about £30. Nordic Salute. Romped home, 4/1. Thought I was a rich man. RIP Postman.

Very sudden and sad news

RIP

RIP, Great jockey.

I started watching racing in the early to mid 80's.

the guvnor.
RIP.

Racing become part of my life from the mid 80s onwards.

Pat, Steve, Willie, Walter, Greville, Joe, Lester and a host of others.

One of the true greats who gave us so many good memories.

RIP Pat.

Tribute from Brough Scott

https://youtu.be/keJkoi5cAD4

Places like that .....

This is the Group 1 win I most remember - got an 8 day whip ban and when they flash past the post I still think he got beat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx661RstFME

Was it the Aga Khans/Cumani horse? Have not looked.

Cumani for the Helena Springfield lot.

Heads up - there is a "time of our lives" programme with Pat on Sky sports 2 at 9.30pm

carrot1960
10 Nov 15 19:47
Joined: 05 Feb 08
| Topic/replies: 9,151 | Blogger: carrot1960's blog
4500 + Winners and he will be best remembered for the c* nt of a ride he gave El Gran Senor

On a tribute thread to a fantastic jockey i find this post quite offensive.
I'm sure in history he will best be remembered for winning the race of the century on Bustino or the Arc on Dancing brave, but to post that about a horse that got beaten a sh/hd and don't think he actually did anything wrong is appalling! Poor show imo.

Yes bad form, did you have a big bet on it?

carrot1960     10 Nov 15 19:47 
4500 + Winners and he will be best remembered for the c* nt of a ride he gave El Gran Senor.

Only by ****s and for the record he did nothing wrong on El Gran Senor.

I'm sure plenty on here have a view on him with regards to not caring too much about a place if he couldn't win but the more decent posters appreciate that there's a time and a place.

RIP Pat ,many memories ,Dancing brave, Silver patriarch , Rock Hopper , and many more, great man , God bless.

Just heard the news, really shocked and saddened.

Well said Ima  - let's remember Pat for what he was  - a giant of the sport, who has given many of us memories we will  always cherish.

Btw not wishing to ruin the thread, but carrot, your comments are typical of a compulsive dead head who see's horse racing as nothing more than a betting medium. You're a tool of the highest order.

Carrot. You have crossed the line. Obviously NOT a racing man, just a vegetable by your own admission.

Nonaynever coming from you i take it as a compliment

Carrott I guess you won't be watching sky sports 2 in a few minutes time then.

RIP Pat, you were a hell of a jockey.

A winner.

RIP

Signing in. 1986 was the year i started gambling on horses, and i backed Dancing brave every race it ran. After winning on Dawn Run gold cup and West Tip grand national, Eddery's exploits on Brave made me think i was gifted from god to Gamble. Here i still am 30 years later.

RIP Pat.

El Gran Senor pulled clear of the 3rd in the Derby and when Eddery asked it to go the horse had plenty of time to do so but just got out-battled/out-stayed by Secreto.

He rode a very similar race on El Gran Senor to the one where he won the Coronation Cup on Rainbow Quest yet nobody considers that a "cun* of a ride" do they? Mainly because the 2nd that day was able to stay with him.

Other not so high profile but rides that stick in my mind
Montekin(i think) winning Horris Hill pulling double
Fingals Cave  winning Cumberland lodge as above
Free Guest in the Nassau absolutely bolting up
plus a couuple more of Cumanis  Fish N Chips in the Extel
and last but not least Dallas in the Brittania Hcap (Rae Guest would ride and get them hcapped) then Pat would take over and dot up with the hcap good things

He's on Sky Sport 2 now - time of their lives with Carson and Joe Mercer. Doesn't look well but don't know when the program was made.

R.I.P. Pat

Sad, sad news.

Backing unraced 2yo's owned by Abdulla, trained by Henry and ridden by Pat was a real strategy for me back in the day. And then there was that Arc...

63 and now ay old Pat Eddery will be greatly missed R.I.P  Champ.

Best race for me was when he won the Arc on Dancing Brave in 1986

Think it was his brother who used to book his rides

Always kept an eye out to see if he was having a few shillings on.

Very good jock

Sad news indeed being only 63

Crystal; was 2012, great programme loved the stories it's what life is about!

sheikh albadou william hill and then nunthorpe at my local-york then breeders cup.rip pat ,the greatest of a great racing era

shouldn,t a race be named after racing great,s . what do you think

Seaside,its his brother in law Terry Ellis you're thinking of,he was also his chauffeur.
As a young punter in the 70's it almost felt that Pat and Peter Walwyn had an air of invincibility about them.

Great shame. He was a very good jockey and respected by the others in the weighing room. My best memory was One So Wonderful in the 1998 Juddmonte at York. If you can't remember it, watch it on Youtube. I watched it again yesterday and still can't believe that they won.

Sage, just watched it forget that race, Pat at his best, thousands would of been done on the photo if betfair were around.

Agreed.  Watched it last night!   Frankie was virtually a full "head" in front of Pat on the line, and yet.......

Wonderful race, and all the first three jockeys got whip bans

It was the drink that did it

I see one of his daughters hadn't seen him in 5 years. Just phone and birthday cards. Sad story.

wonderfull tribute from 1 of his daugthers. Sadly he succumbed to the ravages of alcohol.
My dad was kind, sweet, emotional and loved us'
By Stuart Riley 11:30AM 11 NOV 2015

PAT EDDERY'S daughter Natasha has posted a heartbreaking Instagram post mourning the loss of her father after his battle with alcohol.

Former champion Flat jockey Pat Eddery died on Tuesday aged 63 and his daughter wrote on Wednesday about the pain and sadness that surrounded her following his death.

'His addiction was too strong'

She wrote: "Filled with grief this morning that my dad Pat Eddery is no longer here. It's been five years since I last saw [him], we stayed in touch and spoke on the phone, I never missed a birthday etc and not a day went by when I didn't think about him.

"The last time I saw him face to face was when I brought him home from rehab and he drank straight away. I turned to him and said 'dad if you choose to drink over health and family, I can't be part of that life for you.'

"Sadly his addiction was too strong and he couldn't overcome it. My siblings and his close friends did all we could to help him battle his illness, but we lost in the end. It has been so sad to witness his decline and my siblings and I knew that we would loose him to his demon drink.

Glad to see that so many posters must be around my age grouping (55) and so vividly remember the golden era of the 1980's (especially the second half) when Eddery, Cauthen, Carson, Piggot, Starkey and many more set the game alight - not to mention the trainers and horses.

Eddery was someone that was just 'always there' and he got much more right than he got wrong. Shame on the poster who decided to highlight the El Gran Senor Derby. Just no need for it.

Very interesting to see the information from his daughter. But did she really need to go public about her father's problems? I don't think so and although the message is heartfelt it seems more about her than him IE 'I turned to him and said....' Rather typical of a younger generation for whom discretion has no meaning. Probably the birth of social media to blame.

Things like that need to be kept private. Whilst it doesn't diminish our memories of one of the best jocks of all time, I am sad to read it and I wish she had not done such a thing.

RIP Pat...

The Knight, one suspects it was the worst kept 'secret' in racing, and although you had to read between the lines yesterday regarding his 'illness', his battle with depression and alcoholism was referred to by Jon lees in today's RP.

RIP Pat

ribero1

Thanks for that yes you are correct I am getting old myself now and starting to forget a few things.

See him in my minds eye like it was yesterday.

ribero - seaside

Pat and Terry split in 1999 - after a more than 20 years association.

That was 4 years before Pat gave up riding.

Peter Walwyn wrote a letter of appreciation to the Racing Post.

THE parting of Pat Eddery and Terry Ellis is a particularly sad event. During the time Pat rode for me as stable jockey, and ever since, the co-operation between the three of us has been remarkable, without a single disagreement.

A large part of Pat's success is due to the organising abilities of Terry. Pat will, no doubt in his brilliant and inimitable way, ride as well as ever, but he will be hard-pressed to find an agent of such calibre.

I wish them both the very best. With over 800 winners since the first one-a record partnership between trainer and jockey-I will continue to use Pat on every occasion he is available.

PETER WALWYN

hopefully Prince Abdulla sponsors a race in his name at York or Ascot next year...

Cheers onlooker,yes I knew they'd fallen out but didn't know when.
Seaside know what you mean,always had a ciggie going and liked a bet,funningly enough watching Time of our lives last night Carson mentioned his pilot who like Terry was another face always about.Carson said he did nearly all the flying himself,quite understandable when you saw his man!

"Probably the birth of social media to blame.

Things like that need to be kept private"

I wouldn't agree with that, it was a very heartfelt message, and it was no secret they had a distant relationship because of his drinking. She was just saying exactly how it was, and the last part she said, "I don't think of that man, the alcoholic, he wasn't my dad. My dad was kind, sweet, emotional and, while he never said much, I know he loved us all." 

She was just sharing her thoughts, very sad story. She didn't cover anything up and certainly remembered all that was good about him.

rip Pat Eddery. really shocked, what a legend! gone to young!

I never realised how sad he had became towards the end. Perhaps he has found happiness again  RIP

I Remember taking a Midweek "Sickie" off work to go and watch Pat ride at Catterick in the 70`s, he booted home a Treble
Pebbles in the 85 Breeders, Dancing Brave in the 86 Arc,
later in his riding days he had to have a "Disc Fused" in his spine, he was never the same afterwards,
I thought he had the Best pair of hands riding, he could Hold and Settle any Horse,
Rest in Peace.

Thanks for the memories RIP

I'd echo the OP's thread title but also hearing the daughter Natasha on the radio I think her comment on her dad and alcoholism, admirable and courageous. To learn she's a journo, perhaps helped me, at least, understand her articulate composure.

Pat Eddery, became part of my early gambling life, somehow he was always the one I chose over the rest of the great jockeys at the time, great times, probably never to be relived, associated horses like, Pawneese ,Crow, Orange bay,and first time out Dactylographer come to mind , apart from his grander achievements,
Bitter news, condolences to all near and dear, god bless, a truly great jockey.

The daughter is an absolute disgrace and is now a well known figure..

Who had ever heard of her before the legend died...

Her father was one of the best ever and to make her name she has made sure that "Pat Eddery Alcoholic" is better known than ..

"Pat Eddery Champion Jockey"....

To be honest that makes me physically ill...

Hardly seems possible but a new low from homefromtea.

Not his worst by a long way,but tbh he's a wind-up merchant. Not a bad one tbf.

i listened to the daughters interview on 5live yesterday and she seemed nothing but sincere in her hopes that by coming out and

talking about his illness it may at least help someone else. i agree with all hornshoe says.

Natasha Eddery is on BBC Breakfast this morning at 8.40 am if anyone is interested,

Very sad news I've lost 2 good mates to the same disease, both of a similar age.  I'm not adverse to a good wet. It makes you think.

Heard her yesterday, a great shame she didn't see her dad in the last 5 years but anyone who has lived with an alcoholic will know what a nightmare it is, no one can help them except themselves a great shame. Very sad how many great sportsmen find it difficult to cope with life after retiring from their sport.

If some of her life was spoiled by his behaviour she has the right to say so imo. He once ruined one of the kid's parties by getting wrecked and offering to fight her male school friends if I remember rightly.

Disrespectful imo

You didn't grow up having to live with it imo.

thanks for the great memories peebles and dancing brave but a few ! very very few jockeys can read pace like him , only  s.cauthen  , thats what makes them greats , the class stood out like a beacon in these big races, no matter the track or country one wd have thought they had ridden for years ! far far too young very sad

I didn't see anything wrong with his daughter's interview. For some reason so many things in racing are kept hidden away. He died at 63 and there was bound to be speculation as to what actually happened. What's better, people guessing or actual facts?

saddo you missed out the stripping. Sun front page "He's off his 'eddery. "

MATT CHAPMAN

Drink the unfortunate winner


http://favourite.thesun.co.uk/article/6741754

More inept journalism concerning Pat;

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/nov/10/pat-eddery

Apparently he was on Dancing Brave at Goodwood

Feck me the man was "The legend" in the days when horse racing was the major sport in the week and every punter wanted to bet the horses..

(stuck today behind a half-wit in my old betting shop that wanted a pound on Harry Kane to score first and England to win 3-0}

That shop would have taken 2000 plus bets on the horses when I was in charge and now on a Friday is single manned apart from a couple of hours at lunchtime...
Used to have a drink with the great man and he was not out of control nor was Robert Sangster who was great company..

Nothing to compare with that now and perhaps he just decided his time was up..

It happens to us all ...

Watch this space...

HFT's planning topping himself !! Seriously drink is what keeps some of us sane..for a while☺

Not sure that I said that ..

But lead on..

Geoff Lester has a letter printed in today's Post about Eddery. Like Thommo on Five Live, he manages to make it largely about himself rather than Pat and thinks it appropriate to bang on about the two of them getting pi55ed together. Geoff, you need to do something about your tin ear.

Geoff Lester has a letter printed in today's Post about Eddery. Like Thommo on Five Live, he manages to make it largely about himself rather than Pat and thinks it appropriate to bang on about the two of them getting pi55ed together. Geoff, you need to do something about your tin ear.

Is the letter hinting Pat had a 'problem', or rather enjoyed a drink, even in his riding days?

Apparently they'd been drinking wine in a restaurant and, according to Geoff, they'd both had their fill, but Pat wanted to go on for "a nightcap or 3", this despite Pat being due to ride at Newmarket the next day.

Geoff tells us he woke up with a hangover, but whatever, if any, affect the wine had on Eddery, it didn't prevent him from riding a 4-timer at HQ!

When did they start breathalysing jockeys ?

Very sad about Pat,so many fond memories,so many great rides,I still remember the year he broke 200 winners,ended with about 209 I think it was,possibly 1990.The association with ballydoyle/Sangster and Abdullah  were magical days.

Drink is still the biggest scourge to man I believe, so much pain and suffering caused by it.Jimmy Eddery father of Pat also had a serious drink problem,so maybe it is in the dna.Pat's mother was a lovely woman,and got a lot of enjoyment out of Pat's career,as we all did.

"Drink is still the biggest scourge to man I believe"

You know what the biggest scourge is to man .....

The internet where any half-wit can post...

So was he pissed 24/7 running around in his pjs shouting Dancing Brave or did he just like a few in the evening just like any civilised person would..

Not read anything that would make him an alcoholic or maybe he had more than the dreaded 25 units a week..

Good man hft you are truly a class act.

Drink was a problem for him,as it is for many.

And as I said how...

There is probably no-one in the World that consumes more units but I live a proper life...

Some people can handle it but once again was he pissed all day or what...

In fairness it wasn't the Guardian saying Pat Eddery rode Dancing Brave at Goodwood but the person who uploaded and titled the YouTube video they linked to their website.

Regarding the drink and Eddery, sadly you could see from his drawn, reddened blotchy face and weight loss that he was more than just a casual drinker.

hes up there now with richard burton richard harris oliver reed and georgie

Fabulous jockey. Walked into Haydock Park with him one day.He had a full book of rides.Passed a couple of minutes just chatting. He had obviously had a drink. Went on to ride a treble. Doesn't tarnish my memories. We all have some demons.

6 bottles of wine a day is abit more than a casual drinker but great jockey RIP

I just watched the attheraces interview with matt chapman going back to 2011. It was a good watch the room the interview was conducted in seemed almost devoid of any photos,trophies etc,and Pat looked very fidgety.

El Gran Senor was obviously still a big big regret both from the derby and breeding value. It was telling the comment he made about the staff Vincent O'Brien had,and the staff that he had.

It is such a shame that he ended up the way he did.

Be careful about mentioning E* G*** S****  or the  c*** (crap) ride he gave it or your liable to be threatened with a ban

ladycarla 16 Nov 15 09:11 Joined: 03 Sep 06 | Topic/replies: 1,525 | Blogger: ladycarla's blog
6 bottles of wine a day is abit more than a casual drinker but great jockey RIP

I am more impressed with that than his ride on Dancing Brave..

Cannot believe that he could consume that many with such a small torso..

Gerard Depardieu drinks 14 bottles a day but he is the top weight...

Most alcoholics are slim, they don't eat much which isn't good when you drink lots, Pat didn't eat much either

I am 15 stone and would be considered an alcoholic by the definition of drinking more than 25 units a week...

Who knows how much each individual can take but I will take my hat off to the wee fella ....

Yes same here last 3 nights I've had 2 bottles of sav blanc which makes 60 units!! Night of tonight

pm me lady Carla and I will be over after I have finished this rather cheeky bottle of Dream Weaver Shiraz reduced from £7.99 at the Co-Op...

Just a thought...

HFT, you seem to have dragged yet another serious thread into a self centered rant.

You make another undignified and crass attack on somebody best placed to discuss Eddery's inner demons; his daughter. 

You follow this up by informing everybody, yet again, how you were the worlds greatest manager of the worlds biggest betting shop who was a drinking partner of the rich and famous.......at least we were spared some of the usual Walter Mitty type of claims you are prone to make; the worlds first space explorer, you live next door to Lewis Hamilton and you taught Ringo Starr how to play the drums....