Eddery Announces Training Plans

Pat Eddery has announced that he will join the growing band of ex-jockeys in the training ranks.

The 11-times champion rider hopes to have his licence in place before January 1, 2006, and will train from his own premises in Buckinghamshire next spring.

'I´m really looking forward to it and I´m excited by the future,' said Eddery, who is completing the final stages of his trainer´s course at the British Horseracing School in Newmarket this week.

'This has been the plan for a while. I have applied for my licence and I still have to go to before the Jockey Club, but all being well I hope to have my licence very soon.'

The 53-year-old retired from the saddle in November 2003 after a distinguished career in which he rode a total 4,632 winners over five decades, a tally second only to Sir Gordon Richards in the all-time list.

Since his retirement from riding, he has fronted the Pat Eddery Racing Syndicate, which has 15 horses in training split between seven trainers, namely John Dunlop, Richard Hannon, Sylvester Kirk, Jeremy Noseda, Jamie Osborne, Brian Meehan and Amanda Perrett.

Pat Eddery Racing will continue, though he hopes to bring those syndicate horses under his umbrella, training them at his 107-acre Musk Hill Stud, near Aylesbury.

The yard boasts 40 boxes - with room for more - and facilities which include a seven-furlong Polytrack gallop, an indoor ride, a lunging ring and a menage.

'I currently have a hands-on role with our racing club and I thoroughly enjoy it,' Eddery said.

'Syndicates have proved very successful in widening the opportunity for ownership, which is a great thing and I´ve met some great people as a result.

'Carolyn, my wife, has always wanted us to train and the more she has pushed me, the more I found that I really do enjoy it.

'I always thought that I would train on my own at some stage and we hope that we can get started soon.'

During his career, Eddery won 10 Derbies in England, Ireland and France, four Prix de l´Arc de Triomphes and two Breeders´ Cup races as well as notching 28 centuries on home soil.

Having won every English Classic at least once, including the Derby on Grundy, Golden Fleece and Quest For Fame, Eddery is under no illusions that his training career will not match his stellar spell in the saddle.

He admitted: 'I had a marvellous career and was lucky to have ridden so many good horses for some wonderful owners and trainers.

'Hopefully we can continue to attract individual owners, as well as having success with our syndicates, but I will have to go some to equal the riding career, won´t I?

'It would be nice to think we will have some good winners and the ambition would probably be like every other trainer´s - that is to train a Derby winner. We can hope, can´t we?'

(C) PA Sport