John Dunlop leads Pat Eddery tributes after legendary jockey dies

John Dunlop described Pat Eddery as a "delightful man" following his death at the age of 63.

He partnered over 4,600 domestic winners, with his 4,000th success coming aboard the Dunlop-trained Silver Patriarch in the St Leger at Doncaster in 1997.

"Pat rode his first winner for me in 1973 at Bath and in all had nearly 400 winners for me," said Dunlop.

"I was lucky to be training in a vintage era of jockeys and the fact Pat rode for me on and off for 30 years tells you everything.

"He was a delightful man to spend time with, he had huge success but was great company at the same time. Above all, he just worked harder than the others I think.

"Silver Patriarch was special. To come back from being beaten a nose in the Derby and win the St Leger, and for it to be his 4,000th winner made it a very memorable day.

"I'm so sorry to hear the news."

One of Eddery's closest friends in the weighing room, and with whom he had some of his greatest battles on the track, was Willie Carson.

He told At The Races: "It's a very sad loss. He was a huge part of my life because we were together and friends for a very long time.

"An absolute gentleman, one of the greatest jockeys ever to ride a horse and you could go on forever about all the great horses he rode, but he always told me it (the best) was Golden Fleece, especially in the Derby.

"He was liked by everyone. (He was) a gentleman, a nice person to have a night out with and I spent lots of time with him. Part of my life has gone as well.

"When he retired, he hit a problem because racing had been his life - all he ever wanted to be was a jockey.

"He tried the breeding game which didn't work, he never settled into retirement.

"He's gone at an early age - 63 is no age at all - and he'll be sadly missed.

"It will be a great loss to the industry because simply he was one of the greatest ever.

"Pat always had the knack. When he was on a horse, he always did the right thing and got horses running for him."

Another weighing-room colleague was George Duffield, who remembered his "fantastic" skill as a youngster.

"It's a sad day to lose someone as talented as him at such a young age as 63," he said.

"I remember him starting. He was just fantastic as a kid. He had so much confidence and was so bullish about everything he did.

"He was so special from day one, which put him apart from everyone else.

"My best day was actually beating him in the Eclipse. It was a massive feather in my cap to beat someone as talented as he was when I rode Giant's Causeway.

"He had that fantastic talent where horses wanted to go faster for him more than anyone else.

"People like him come along every 20, 25 years. The main thing about Pat was he never changed. From the day he started to the day he finished he was the same old Pat, day in, day out.

"All the success he had never went to his head. He was just one fantastic guy, a star man."

Dancing Brave was trained by Guy Harwood for whom Eddery rode many big-race winners when he was retained by Khalid Abdullah.

When Harwood retired, his daughter Amanda Perrett took over at Pulborough and she found Eddery a big help as she set out on her training career.

Perrett said: "Dad held him in the highest esteem. He was one of the greatest jockeys of all time.

"His win on Dancing Brave in the Arc was a truly phenomenal ride.

"From my point of view, Pat was instrumental in helping us when I took over from dad and he rode a Group One winner for me in Indian Lodge in the Foret.

"Pat and dad were a great combination when he was riding for Prince Khalid.

"It was a sad day when he stopped riding.

"He was a wonderful horseman and a great friend to us throughout his riding career."

Three-times champion jockey Richard Hughes was saddened to learn of the sudden death of "good friend" Eddery.

Eddery was in his pomp when Hughes moved from Ireland to England in the mid-1990s to continue his riding career and recalled a perfect gentleman.

"It's a great shame," said Hughes, who is now a trainer.

"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.

"I never once heard him moan to anybody about getting tightened up or whatever else happened out on the track.

"It's a sad day as he was a good friend."

In the late 1980s, Cauthen and Eddery ruled the roost, and in 1987 the duo enjoyed a titanic battle for the championship, with the former prevailing by just two winners on the final day of the season at Doncaster.

"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," said Cauthen.

"He was very strong but though his style was unusual, horses responded.

"He was really good at getting them to relax and come with one run."

Recalling the great battle of 1987, Cauthen told Racing UK: "I remember that at the beginning of the season we both decided we wanted to win it, and from mid-season there was never more than half a dozen in it and it went right to Doncaster on the last day.

"It was a great battle and he was the kind of guy to be the first one to say, 'Well done'.

"He was a fun guy to be around. He was never jealous of anybody and then when he got the Juddmonte job he was so powerful and rode some great horses and won some great races.

"He was about as consistent as you can be. Sir Gordon Richards may have won more races but whether it was as competitive, I doubt it.

"In the big races, when the pressure was on, he never panicked.

"He was someone you could always ask his advice about a horse, he'd always give you a square answer and tell the truth.

"I admired him greatly, he was not only a good jockey but a good man."

A statement issued by the office of Pat Eddery said the former jockey was a "legend".

The statement read: "Pat passed away suddenly in the early hours of this morning.

"He was a legend that will be greatly missed by all that had the pleasure of knowing him.

"Obviously everyone is in shock at the loss and devastation of Pat and our thoughts and condolences go out to his partner and his family and friends at this sad time."

Derby winning-jockey Ray Cochrane, who now acts as Frankie Dettori's agent, used to sit next to Eddery in the weighing room.

"He was a great fellow, first and foremost," said Cochrane.

"He was great to be around and one of the best ever.

"I sat next to him for 27 years 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.

"You never knew if he'd won or lost, that was one of his best assets."

British Horseracing Authority chief executive Nick Rust said Eddery will be "fondly remembered and sadly missed by many".

Rust said: "After his riding career ended, Pat remained in the racing industry and held a licence to train for the last 10 years.

"In 2012 he acted as a judge in the Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards, freely and generously giving up his time to give something back to the industry which gave him so much.

"We will be forever grateful for what he did for our sport."

Twitter Tributes

When the news of Pat Eddery's death broke on Tuesday, those involved in racing and beyond were quick to take to Twitter to pay their respects:

Champion National Hunt jockey Tony McCoy

"Very sad news to hear of the passing of Pat Eddery true genius in the saddle #legend."

Jockey Richard Johnson

"Very sad to hear that Pat Eddery has passed away great jockey and big loss to the racing world."

Irish champion jockey Pat Smullen

"Very sad news about Pat Eddery, an absolute #Legend both as a jockey and a man."

Jockey Darryll Holland

"Gutted to hear Pat Eddery has passed away. The past & present weighing room will miss you. Legend."

Jockey Steve Drowne

"So sad to hear the passing of Pat Eddery a jockey a lot of us aspired to be but could never be! Condolences to family and friends #RIP"

Former jockey-turned-trainer Johnny Murtagh

"Sad to hear the passing of legendary jockey Pat Eddery, everybody looked up to him in the weigh room, real pro and a gentleman."

Trainer David Pipe

"Shocked to hear the very sad news of Pat Eddery's passing - an amazing jockey."

Grand National-winning rider-turned-trainer Brendan Powell

"So sad to hear of the passing of my childhood heros Pat Eddery. So sad. RIP."

Former champion National Hunt jockey and Cheltenham Festival-winning trainer Jonjo O'Neill

"Very sad to hear the news of Pat Eddery. A true legend of the sport."

Derby-winning trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam

"So sorry to hear the passing of Pat Eddery a Legend of a man in many ways and there aren't many of us you can truly say that about RIP."

Jockey-turned-trainer Paul D'Arcy

"So sad to hear of the passing of the legendary Pat Eddery. Great jockey & great mate when I was riding. RIP"

Former jockey Mick Fitzgerald

"Really sad to hear of the passing of Pat Eddery. A lovely guy with a touch of genius on a racehorse."

Trainer Jeremy Noseda

"So sorry to hear the sad news about Pat Eddery. Great jockey, great friend and a gentleman. Will be much missed by many."

Haydock racecourse

"Sad to hear about the passing of racing legend Pat Eddery, three-time winner of the Sprint Cup @HAYDOCKRACES."

Ascot racecourse

"Very sad to hear of the passing of Pat Eddery, one of the all time great jockeys. Our thoughts are with his family."

Epsom racecourse

"RIP PAT EDDERY who won the Derby aboard Grundy, Golden Fleece & Quest For Fame. Thoughts with his family & friends."

Sandown racecourse

"Racing great Pat Eddery has died aged 63. He won the Eclipse on Coup de Feu, Solford & Sadler's Wells. RIP."

The Jockey Club

"Saddened to hear the news about Pat Eddery. Our thoughts and best wishes are with his family and friends."

National Trainers Federation

"Very sad news that Pat Eddery has died. A master horseman, an artist in the saddle, golden moments on the racecourse."

Brian Kavanagh, chief executive of Horseracing Ireland and chairman of the European Pattern Committee

"Sad day for racing with the passing of Pat Eddery. RIP. A great jockey. Deepest sympathies to his family and friends."

Juddmonte Farms

"We are deeply saddened to hear that Pat Eddery has died. He rode 598 winners for Prince Khalid - the first in 1980 (Bel Bolide, Gimcrack S.) His 33 Gr.1 wins for the Prince included Dancing Brave, Zafonic, Rainbow Quest, Danehill & Distant View."

Former darts champion Dennis Priestley

"I have Pat Eddery to thank for my darts career. I bought my 1st set of darts from my winnings when he romped home on Grundy in the '75 Derby."

Former England international footballer Terry McDermott

"So sad to hear the news about Pat Eddery, shared some good times with him in the 70's and 80's, he was a truly great jockey."

Harwood believes Eddery was at his best when he won the Arc on Dancing Brave. "Clearly that was a very exciting day when he won the Arc de Triomphe," he told At The Races. "It was a fantastic ride. It was Pat at his very best and probably one of his great rides, amongst many. "Pat knew how to use the speed Dancing Brave had and the best way in the Arc was to come from behind. "He had tremendous natural talent. The great jockeys are hugely talented people. "The difference between the average journeyman jockey who works really hard and the top jockeys is talent. They all ride well, it's the racing brain they have that sets them apart."