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Home , English Prince, Forest Flower (horse), Guy Harwood, Henry Cecil, Jeremy Tree, King Edward VII Stakes

ASCOT ANNOUNCE STAKES WILL OPEN KING GEORGE DAY

In honour of the late Pat Eddery, who won the 1975 () and 1986 () renewals of the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the Listed Winkfield Stakes, which opens King George Day, has been permanently renamed the .

The race will be run as the Wooldridge Group Pat Eddery Stakes, and Pat’s daughters, Natasha and Nichola, along with other members of the family, will present the winners’ trophies alongside the race sponsors.

Natasha Eddery said:

“As a family, we all agreed that our fondest, most cherished memories of Dad's incredible racing career were at . While Dad had so much success all over the world, Ascot was one of his favourites by far. We are all so grateful that Ascot has chosen to honour his legacy on King George day; Dad would be so very proud.”

Pat Eddery was born on March 18, 1952 in Newbridge, , Ireland and forged a reputation as one of the greatest riders of the post-war period.

Champion a joint record 11 times and the winner of every Classic in and Ireland, Eddery was the leading rider at Royal Ascot on six occasions. Royal Ascot in 1989 proved to be Eddery’s finest as he partnered eight winners (joining (1965 & 1975) on the record number which was passed by in 2015) at the Meeting including Two Timing in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes, in the King Edward VII Stakes and Assatis in the . He was also top jockey at the Meeting in 1993(5), 1992(4), 1988(4), 1986(6) and 1973(4).

In a 1999 newspaper article, Pat Eddery was quoted as saying: “There is nowhere in the world like Royal Ascot. It is the best Meeting of all by a long way. Every day, every race, the best horses are running.”

Nick Smith, Director of Racing and Communications at Ascot, added:

“Pat was a legend at Ascot, all over Britain, Ireland and the world. We, race sponsors Wooldridge Group, and QIPCO, sponsors of the King George, are deeply honoured that the family have chosen Ascot and King George Day as the place where the racing community and public can remember everything he .

“We are discussing with Natasha and Nichola a permanent memorial to Pat’s achievements, including his six Royal Ascot top jockey titles, and will be looking at all sorts of ways to commemorate Pat’s career on site on King George Day.”

Graham Wooldridge, Managing Director of The Wooldridge Group, said:

“We are so pleased that we are able to be involved in honouring Pat Eddery through this race. It is a perfect way to celebrate his life and all that he did for racing.”

David Redvers, on behalf of QIPCO, sponsors of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, said:

“Sheikh Fahad and his brothers are delighted that King George day will kick off with a race named in Pat Eddery’s memory. Shortly after Pat’s death, we talked to Ascot about how QIPCO, as an Official Partner, would like to help in finding a suitable opportunity to commemorate such a wonderful jockey’s career, so we are touched that the family have chosen King George day and it will make the day even more special and memorable.”

Ends

Press Release: 18th February 2016

For further information and images, please contact Ashley Morton-Hunte, Press Officer, Ascot Racecourse on: [email protected], 01344 878508

Notes to Editors

Champion jockey a joint record 11 times and the winner of every Classic in England and Ireland, as well as a host of major international races, Eddery figures second only to Sir in total number of career wins as a rider in Britain with 4,632.

Away from the Royal Meeting at Ascot, he won the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Grundy (1975), billed by many as the race of the century when defeating , and the great Dancing Brave (1986), as well as the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on (1987), (1988) and (1993). He enjoyed 10 Group One victories in total at Ascot.

After a career that encompassed success on some of the turf’s outstanding horses such as Dancing Brave, Grundy, Sadler’s Wells, , , , and , Eddery retired at the end of the 2003 Flat season and became a trainer.

The best horse he trained was Hearts Of Fire, a Group One winner in and third in the 2010 St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. He died on November 10, 2015 at the age of 63.

PAT EDDERY’S ROYAL ASCOT WINNERS

Pat Eddery (73) 69/20/06 Wokingham Handicap SKY ROCKET Michael Pope A B Pope 20/1 72/21/06 PROOF POSITIVE Jeremy Tree Jock Whitney 14/1 72/22/06 Gold Cup ERIMO HAWK Geoffrey Barling Y Yamamoto 10/1 73/20/06 Queen's Vase TARA BROOCH Seamus McGrath IRE Joseph McGrath 10/1 73/20/06 Duke Of Edinburgh Handicap LOYAL GUARD Louis Freedman 7/1 73/21/06 Norfolk Stakes Peter Walwyn Dr Carlo Vittadini 7/4 F 73/22/06 TUDOR RHYTHM Peter Walwyn Mrs D McCalmont 8/1 74/19/06 Queen's Vase ROYAL AURA Peter Walwyn Mrs J Silcock 11/2 74/20/06 King Edward VII Stakes Peter Walwyn Vera Hue-Williams 8/11 F 74/20/06 RED CROSS Peter Walwyn Mrs D McCalmont 1/3 F 75/17/06 Prince of Wales’s Stakes RECORD RUN Gavin Pritchard-Gordon Sidney Grey 12/1 75/20/06 Hardwicke Stakes CHARLIE BUBBLES Peter Walwyn Leonard Sainer 12/1 76/15/06 St James's Palace Stakes RADETZKY Clive Brittain Curtis Elliot 16/1 76/18/06 Hardwicke Stakes ORANGE BAY Peter Walwyn Dr Carlo Vittadini 9/2 77/15/06 Queen's Vase MILLIONAIRE Peter Walwyn Mrs D McCalmont 8/1 77/15/06 ORCHESTRATION Adrian Maxwell IRE Major Victor McCalmont 12/1 77/16/06 King Edward VII Stakes CLASSIC EXAMPLE Peter Walwyn Col Roger Hue-Williams 14/1 78/21/06 Jersey Stakes CAMDEN TOWN Peter Walwyn Sir Jules Thorn 4/1 F 78/23/06 Britannia Handicap RHINELAND Peter Walwyn Mrs D McCalmont 7/1 80/17/06 St James's Palace Stakes POSSE John Dunlop Ogden Mills Phipps 11/2 80/19/06 King George V Handicap JOHN O'GROATS John Winter Daniel Prenn 10/1 80/19/06 Chesham Stakes KIRTLING Eric Moller 5/1 80/20/06 King's Stand Stakes Paul Kelleway G Kaye 10/1 82/15/06 HORAGE Matt McCormack Ahmed Rachid 85/40 83/14/06 VALIYAR Garo Vanlan 10/1 85/18/06 Ascot Handicap MEADOWBROOK Mrs John A McDougald 9/1 85/19/06 Jersey Stakes PENNINE WALK Jeremy Tree Stavros Niarchos 9/2 F 85/21/06 VALUABLE WITNESS Jeremy Tree Stavros Niarchos 8/11 F 86/17/06 Prince of Wales's Stakes ENGLISH SPRING Ian Balding Paul Mellon 14/1 86/17/06 Queen Anne Stakes PENNINE WALK Jeremy Tree Mrs Maria Niarchos 5/2 86/18/06 Ian Balding Paul Mellon 9/4 JF 86/19/06 GULL NOOK John Dunlop Lord Halifax 8/1 86/20/06 Hardwicke Stakes DIHISTAN Aga Khan 11/2 86/20/06 Britannia Handicap DALLAS Richard L Duchossois 9/2 F 87/16/06 King Edward VII Stakes LOVE THE GROOM John Dunlop Mrs V Gaucci del Bono 7/1 88/14/06 St James's Palace Stakes Geoff Huffer Prince Yazid Saud 9/2 88/15/06 Coronation Stakes Jeremy Tree Stavros Niarchos 16/1 88/17/06 Britannia Handicap FOREIGN SURVIVOR Olivier Douieb Maktoum Al Maktoum 7/1 88/17/06 BARRY'S GAMBLE Tommy Fairhurst North Cheshire Trading & Storage 5/2 89/20/06 Queen Anne Stakes WARNING Khalid Abdulla 2/5 F 89/20/06 Prince of Wales's Stakes TWO TIMING Jeremy Tree Khalid Abdulla 5/1 89/20/06 King Edward VII Stakes CACOETHES Guy Harwood Lady Harrison 8/13F 89/21/06 TRUE PANACHE Jeremy Tree Khalid Abdulla 5/1 F 89/21/06 Duke Of Edinburgh Handicap STRATFORD PONDS John Dunlop Frank Sanderson 10/1 89/22/06 King George V Handicap CARLINGFORD Guy Harwood Khalid Abdulla 9/4 F 89/23/06 Windsor Castle Stakes PHARAOH'S DELIGHT Peter Hudson Al-Deera Bloodstock Holdings 11/2 89/23/06 Hardwicke Stakes ASSATIS Guy Harwood Khalid Abdulla 4/11F 90/19/06 Prince of Wales's Stakes BATSHOOF Ben Hanbury Muttar Salem 2/1 F 90/21/06 Chesham Stakes CHICARICA Sheikh Mohammed 10/11F 90/21/06 Golden Jubilee Stakes GREAT COMMOTION Alex Scott Maktoum Al Maktoum 5/1 90/22/06 Wokingham Handicap KNIGHT OF MERCY Richard Hannon M W Grant 16/1 90/22/06 Windsor Castle Stakes GIPSY FIDDLER Jonjo O'Neill G B Davidson 7/2 91/21/06 Hardwicke Stakes ROCK HOPPER Michael Stoute Maktoum Al Maktoum 5/6 F 92/16/06 Ascot Handicap GONDOLIER Henry Cecil Lord Howard de Walden 7/1 F 92/18/06 King George V Handicap SOURCE OF LIGHT Roger Charlton Khalid Abdulla 12/1 92/19/06 Windsor Castle Stakes SATANK Bill Watts 7/1 92/19/06 Hardwicke Stakes ROCK HOPPER Michael Stoute Maktoum Al Maktoum 8/15F 93/15/06 Prince of Wales's Stakes PLACERVILLE Henry Cecil Khalid Abdulla 11/2 93/16/06 Queen's Vase INFRASONIC Andre Fabre FR Khalid Abdulla 3/1 F 93/16/06 Royal Hunt Cup IMPERIAL BALLET Henry Cecil Robert Sangster 20/1 93/16/06 Duke Of Edinburgh Handicap SOURCE OF LIGHT Roger Charlton Khalid Abdulla 11/1 93/18/06 Britannia Handicap SHOW FAITH Richard Hannon Ian Wight 6/1 F 94/16/06 Ribblesdale Stakes Khalid Abdulla 3/1 F 94/17/06 Queen Alexandra Stakes CUFF LINK Lord Weinstock 6/1 95/21/06 Duke Of Edinburgh Handicap SON OF SHARP SHOT John Dunlop Windflower Overseas Holdings 5/1 97/18/06 Duke Of Edinburgh Handicap ZARALASKA Luca Cumani Fittocks Stud 8/1 97/19/06 Gold Cup David Morley Christopher Spence 11/2 97/20/06 King Edward VII Stakes KINGFISHER MILL Julie Cecil Lord Howard de Walden 9/4 F 98/19/06 Hardwicke Stakes POSIDONAS Paul Cole Athos Christodoulou 15/2 00/22/06 King George V Handicap GIVE THE SLIP Amanda Perrett John Bodie 8/1 00/23/06 Windsor Castle Stakes AUTUMNAL Brian Meehan Paul & Jenny Green 4/1 01/22/06 Windsor Castle Stakes IRONY Jamie Osborne John Nicholls Ltd/Mobley Homes 8/1 02/19/06 Queen Mary Stakes ROMANTIC LIASON Brian Meehan Con Wilson 16/1