Pat Smullen
Champion Irish jockey universally recognised as a true gentleman
Patrick Joseph Smullen, jockey. Born: 22 May 1977 in Offaly, Ireland. Died: 15 September 2020 in Dublin, Ireland, aged 43
Pat S mullen had a riding career to ma tc h–and surpass – many of the modernday riding greats.
He also battled with such heart and dignity after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in March 2018. Advice from doctors regarding a return to race-fitness ultimately led to him hanging up his riding boots.
S mullen was not just champion jockey in Ireland nine times and winner of nearly every big race worthy of the name, he was a man univer---
sally regarded as a gentleman – the complete professional. An Epsom Derby triumph came in 2016 through the Dermot Weld-trained Harz and. The pair went on to secure the Irish Derby and cement the legacy of a rider who enjoyed his first victory at Dundalk on 11 June 1993.
Smullen, the son of a farmer and who became involved with horses at the age of 11, formed a formidable alliance with master trainer Weld, taking over in 1999 from another riding great in Mick Kinane.
Apprenticed to local trainer Tommy Lacy, his earlier years saw him ride for Erwan Charpy in Dubai and he also spent two years with Tommy Stack, who gave him his first Group One winner with Tarascon in the 1997 Moyglare Stud Stakes.
His first Classic was provided by the brilliant stayer Vinnie Roe in the Irish St Leger of 2001. Remarkably, they would win that race three more times in succession.
Married to Aidan O’brien’s sister-in-law, former trainer Frances Crowley, with whom he had three children
– Hannah, Paddy and Sarah – Smullen dominated the Irish championship at the peak of his powers, first winning the title in 2000 and following up a year later. He claimed what would be his last championship in 2016.
Ascot Gold Cup glor y was gained with Rite Of Passage in 2010, Grey Swallow added the 2005 Tattersalls Gold Cup to his victor y in the Irish Derby of 12 months earlier, and there were two Irish 1,000 Guineas wins, with Nightime (2006) and Bethrah (2010).
Casual Conquest (2009) was another Tattersalls Gold Cup winner, while lightly-raced but brilliant Free Eagle came good in the 2015 Prince of Wales’s Stakes at the Royal meeting.