Born on March 18th, 1952, at Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland. He started as an apprentice at the age of 14 with Seamus McGrath at Sandyford, County Dublin, before joining Frenchie Nicholson's renowned riding academy at Cheltenham. He had his first ride at 15, his first winner at 17 and today Pat Eddery can only be described as one of the finest jockeys to have graced modern racing history.
Eleven times champion jockey, with over 4000 career victories, there are very few jockeys, both past and present, which can compete with the awesome achievements Pat Eddery has amassed. He has ridden at least 100 winners in 28 different seasons and holds the British record for the most centuries in a career.
In 1996 Eddery achieved a winner in every Classic after riding Bosra Sham to victory in the 1,000 Guineas. Success has not been limited to the English Classics however. In 1983 he won the Arlington Million on Tolomeo. That same year he won the Prix du Jockey-Club on Caerleon.
In 1985 he rode Pebbles to a win in the Breeders Cup Turf. Only a real champion could have won on her that day and he proved to be just that. She had a 14 draw, which everyone said she couldn’t win from, but Pat made the 14 draw to his advantage. That same year he won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Rainbow Quest.
In the 1986 Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe, aboard the legendary Dancing Brave, Eddery emerged victorious against a field containing no less than another seven Group one winning horses. That same year he won the Japan Cup on Jupiter Island.
In 1991 he rode Sheikh Albadou to a win in the Breeders Cup Sprint.
His achievements include
1000 Guineas in 1996.
2000 Guineas in 1983, 1984,1993.
Epsom Derby in 1975, 1982, 1990.
Epsom Oaks in 1974, 1979, 1996.
St Leger in 1986,1991, 1994, 1997.
Irish Derby in 1975, 1984, 1985,1993.
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in 1980, 1985, 1986, 1987.
Prix du Jockey-Club in 1983, 1988, 1990.
Seven winners in one day: Newmarket (three) and Newcastle (four) June 26, 1992
Champion jockey 11 times. 1974-77, 1986, 1988-91, 1993, 1996, champion in Ireland in 1982.
100 winners in a season: Every year from 1973 to 2001 except 1982. Rode 99 winners in 2002 200 winners in a season: 1990
Best season: 209 wins in 1990.
Pat Eddery has ridden 4,632 wins on some of the worlds greatest racehorses.
Grundy, Golden Fleece, Caerleon, Dancing Brave, Rainbow Quest, Danehill, Sadler's Wells, Pebbles, El Gran Senor, Warning, Zafonic, Sanglamore, Silver Patriarch, Law Society, Kings Lake.
On June 23rd, 2003, Pat announced that he was to retire at the end of the season. His last ride was on December 7th, 2003. He then set up Pat Eddery Racing, a breeding, owning and racing syndicate venture and in 2005 he did something that he always said he wouldn't do, he started up a new career as a trainer.
"Pat is the true professional, a marvellous jockey, a real gentleman and a tremendous ambassador for racing – he will not easily be replaced."
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