Patrick Joseph Smullen (22 May 1977 – 15 September 2020), was an Irish

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

who won the Irish flat racing Champion Jockey title nine times. In a career running from 1992 to 2018 he rode 1,845 winners in Ireland and 47 in Britain. Amongst his biggest successes were riding Harzand to victories in the

Epsom Derby The Derby Stakes, more commonly known as the Derby and sometimes referred to as the Epsom Derby, is a Group races, Group 1 flat Horse racing, horse race in England open to three-year-old Colt (horse), colts and Filly, fillies. It is run at Ep ...

and

Irish Derby The Irish Derby ( Irish: Dearbaí na hÉireann) is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a dista ...

in 2016. He was stable jockey to Dermot Weld from 1999 until 2018.

Background and apprenticeship

Smullen was born in County Offaly and was introduced to riding and racing by his brother Sean, who worked for trainer Joanna Morgan. He was then apprenticed to local trainer Tommy Lacy, who provided him with his first winner, Vicosa, at Dundalk in 1993. Smullen won the Irish apprentice championship in 1995 and 1996.

Career

Smullen spent two years as a stable jockey to John Oxx, winning his first Group 1 race, the Moyglare Stud Stakes, on

Tarascon Tarascon (; ), sometimes referred to as Tarascon-sur-Rhône, is a commune situated at the extreme west of the Bouches-du-Rhône department of France in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Inhabitants are referred to as Tarasconnais or Tara ...

for trainer Tommy Stack at the Curragh in 1997. In 1999 he became first jockey to trainer Dermot Weld, a position he retained until his retirement in 2018. He was Irish champion jockey in 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2015 and 2016, a total of nine times. Smullen's first Classic victory came in the Irish St. Leger in 2001 on Vinnie Roe for Dermot Weld. They went on to win the same race the next three years. Other Irish Classic victories came in the 2004

Irish Derby The Irish Derby ( Irish: Dearbaí na hÉireann) is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a dista ...

on Grey Swallow, the 2015 Irish Oaks on Covert Love and two

Irish 1,000 Guineas The Irish 1,000 Guineas is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is sched ...

on Nighttime and Bethrah. A total of twelve European Classic wins also included the 2016 Epsom Derby and Irish Derby double on Harzand for Dermot Weld and owner the

Aga Khan Aga Khan (; ; also transliterated as ''Aqa Khan'' and ''Agha Khan'') is a title held by the Imamate in Nizari doctrine, Imām of the Nizari Isma'ilism, Nizari Isma'ilism, Ismāʿīli Shia Islam, Shias. The current holder of the title is the ...

. In May 2018 Smullen announced his retirement from race riding on medical advice, having undergone chemotherapy and surgery for pancreatic cancer the previous year. He had ridden 1,845 winners in Ireland and 47 in Britain.

Personal life

Smullen married Frances Crowley, trainer and amateur jockey, in 2001. They have three children, Hannah, Paddy and Sarah. In September 2019 Smullen organised a legends race at the Curragh to raise funds for pancreatic cancer trials and research. Two months later he was honoured at the 2019 Cartier Racing Awards with the Daily Telegraph Award of Merit.

Death and Legacy

Smullen died aged 43 in Dublin on 15 September 2020 from a case of

pancreatic cancer Pancreatic cancer arises when cell (biology), cells in the pancreas, a glandular organ behind the stomach, begin to multiply out of control and form a Neoplasm, mass. These cancerous cells have the malignant, ability to invade other parts of ...

. He was diagnosed with the cancer in March of 2018. He ended up raising considerable funds for charity upon learning of his diagnosishttps://www.curragh.ie/pat-smullen-race-day/ where over 1 million

Euros The euro (currency symbol, symbol: euro sign, €; ISO 4217, currency code: EUR) is the official currency of 20 of the Member state of the European Union, member states of the European Union. This group of states is officially known as the ...

were raised towards Cancer research in

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

. The charity is still active today.

Major wins

* Flying Five Stakes – (2) – ''Benbaun (2006, 2007)'' *

– (2) – ''Nightime (2006), Bethrah (2010)'' *

Irish Derby The Irish Derby ( Irish: Dearbaí na hÉireann) is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a dista ...

– (2) – '' Grey Swallow (2004), Harzand (2016)'' * Irish Oaks – (1) – ''Covert Love (2015)'' * Irish St. Leger – (4) – '' Vinnie Roe (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004)'' * Matron Stakes – (2) – ''Dress to Thrill (2002), Emulous (2011)'' * Moyglare Stud Stakes – (1) – ''Tarascon (1997)'' * National Stakes – (1) – '' Refuse to Bend (2002)'' * Pretty Polly Stakes – (1) – ''Chinese White (2010)'' * Tattersalls Gold Cup – (3) – ''Grey Swallow (2005), Casual Conquest (2009), Fascinating Rock (2016)'' ----

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

* Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp – (1) – ''Benbaun (2007)'' *

Prix de l'Opéra The Prix de l'Opéra is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbred fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,000 metres (about 1¼ miles) each ...

– (1) – ''Covert Love (2015)'' * Prix Royal-Oak – (1) – '' Vinnie Roe (2001)'' ----

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...

– (1) – '' Harzand (

2016 2016 was designated as: * International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly. * International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Internationa ...

)'' * 2,000 Guineas – (1) – ''Refuse to Bend (2003)'' *

Ascot Gold Cup The Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles 3 furlongs and 210 yards (4 ...

– (1) – ''

Rite of Passage A rite of passage is a ceremony or ritual of the passage which occurs when an individual leaves one group to enter another. It involves a significant change of social status, status in society. In cultural anthropology the term is the Anglicisa ...

(2010)'' * Champion Stakes – (1) – ''Fascinating Rock (2015)'' * Prince of Wales's Stakes – (1) – '' Free Eagle (2015)'' * Sun Chariot Stakes – (1) – ''Dress to Thrill (2002)'' ----

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

* Breeders' Cup Marathon – (1) – ''Muhannak (2008)'' *

Matriarch Stakes :'' This article is about an American horse race. For the Australian horse race, see Matriarch Stakes (Australia).'' The Matriarch Stakes is a Graded stakes race, Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares that are of age thre ...

– (1) – ''Dress to Thrill (2002)''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smullen, Pat Irish jockeys 1977 births 2020 deaths Equestrians from County Offaly Lester Award winners Deaths from pancreatic cancer in the Republic of Ireland Cartier Award winners