Seeing sad reports online about Pat. Hope they aren't true. Been a cynic all my life and his last few years have been genuinely inspiring.
Seeing sad reports online about Pat. Hope they aren't true. Been a cynic all my life and his last few years have been genuinely inspiring.
This is such sad news, and my thoughts are with his wife and young family.
Pat was a great jockey in the saddle and a fine man out of it, even before he got sick. A few of us bumped into him that evening after he rode in the Cheltenham bumper, and he said how pleased he was to get to ride there. He also told us about an up and coming horse in Dermot Weld's called Famous Name.
He rode plenty of big winners but his finest hour came almost a year ago to the day when his fundraising efforts for cancer research culminated in a special day at the Curragh on Irish Champions weekend. Thanks to the esteem in which he was held, the entire Irish racing industry came together and did themselves proud. His own tragedy had become an opportunity to bring out the best in people.
Rest in peace, Pat.
archie (16th September 2020), Beef or Salmon (15th September 2020), Colin Phillips (16th September 2020), edgt (16th September 2020), Eleanora Duse (16th September 2020)
Horrible news: RIP.
This year FFS
RIP
RIP horrible disease,my grandfather died of the exact same thing and the great Bill Hicks..
One of the good guys. RIP
always tougher to take when taken relatively young, with family and a good guy. He'll be long remembered for sure. RIP
So young, achieved so much and will be remembered for all the right things
Some people say he’s the best since Arkle and that’s certainly true when you look at what he’s done
Very sad to hear the news RIP
Really, really sad. I had hoped he was winning
Vote Alfie!!!!
He loved his family, his farm and his tractors; seemingly he would talk about them all day in the weigh room.
A fine humble human being who quietly went about being as good as he could be .
Some man. Some talent. We are the better for having witnessed him do his job as well as he did.
Rest in Peace.
I spent a day with the family some years ago - magazine article, racing's #1 power couple look forward to the new season stuff. I pulled the article today and was shocked to see it was April 2008! Wouldn't have thought it more like 7 or 8 years ago. Both Frances and he were solid - warm, but also authentic. I had a creative photographer with me and it took about 90 mins for him to be satisfied he had the correct shot - they never once complained.
My abiding memory of the day - they had automatic security gates at the yard and when I was leaving Pat said he'd click them open from the kitchen and did. Unfortunately something slowed my egress and the gates closed with my car halfway out. Crunch..... I considered my options for a moment and then just rang him on the mobile and said they hadn't opened - then click, gates open and off I went. I pulled over a couple of miles up the road to examine the damage. The repairs cost me twice what I 'd earned from the article.
But at least the great Pat Smullen never found out I was a gobshite.
Last edited by an capall; 16th September 2020 at 9:33 PM.
"And still they gazed and still the wonder grew. That one small head could carry all he knew.
And that small head knew that Impaire Et Passe would win the Champion Hurdle."
granger (19th September 2020)
https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinio...-40051349.html
Ruby has really gone up in my estimation after reading this piece.
edgt (20th September 2020)
Very touching tribute to Pat Smullen on the Morning Line, really brought it home what a great person he was.
RIP
Really impressed with that.
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"And still they gazed and still the wonder grew. That one small head could carry all he knew.
And that small head knew that Impaire Et Passe would win the Champion Hurdle."