Pat Eddery

Pat Eddery was an Irish flat racing jockey and later a trainer who rode from the late 1960s into the 2000s. Born in Newbridge, County Kildare, near the Curragh, he came from a racing family: his father Jimmy Eddery was twice Irish champion jockey and several of his brothers also became jockeys. He started as an apprentice in Ireland, moved to England and won the champion apprentice title in 1971. He first became British champion jockey in 1974, aged 22, and went on to take the title eleven times in all. He rode three winners of the Derby, the first on Grundy in 1975, and rode more than four and a half thousand winners on British flat courses, a total exceeded only by Sir Gordon Richards. He was associated with the Walwyn stable and later with Vincent O'Brien's Ballydoyle operation.