Send your tributes and memories of the rider.

I hope you have a highly great retirement Pat. I wish you all the best of luck in the future. You will be missed though!
Becky T, uk

Have a great retirement Pat, Winning the Arlington on Tolemo and The Breeders Cup on Pebbles (when the Brits won nothing across the pond) was something special. You have won me many a pound or ten over the years especially at Ascot and for that I'm grateful. I have followed you since the time of Grundy and you rounded off a great retirement year by winning a nice few hundred for me on Reel Buddy ...cheers!
Ferrier, UK

Best wishes for your retirement Pat. You leave me with too many memories to mention. You're a great jockey who will be missed on the race course by punters everywhere.
Ray Newby, England

Pat was aboard the first decent priced winner I backed - Tremblant in the early 80s - and I have been a fan of his ever since. Pat seemed to fit the colours of Khaled Abdulla so well, the sight of him winning the Arc on Dancing Brave is one I shall never forget. All the best for the future, Pat.
Phil Ruston, UK

Pat it was a good craic! Patrick, UK

What made Pat one of the best ever was his brilliant mind- The man was a great judge and tactician.

A true genius of his time who has more than earned a happy retirement from a very hard game.
George, Thailand

Pat is an institution. the day I saw him ride his 4000th winner ( Silver Patriarch, in the Ebor ) I know the entire racing world, both professional, and punter wishes him all the very very very best in his retirement. Pat, it was a good craic!
Patrick McDonagh, UK

Thanks for the memories, Pat. It was by chance that I met you and the late Tony Murray in Ted Van Den Berg's office in the 1970's. You have earned the respect of your peers (few there be!)In the saddle, I now wish you success in your future endeavours.
Dalvin Darlington, Barbados

In my eyes Pat Eddery was one of the greatest, if not the greatest flat jockey there has ever been Ged Pye, Liverpool

The legendary Pat Eddery - yes, the rumour that God has finally retired from the weighing room is sad, but true - so -just one more great jockey left from the heady days of REAL racing - hang in there gentleman George ...
Peter Bolton, uk ex South Africa

All the best Pat, Such a brilliant jockey we will struggle to see again. Who could ever forget the struggle with Cauthen in 1987, Pat's desire and will to win never more evident - halcyon days indeed! In my humble opinion a true legend. Pat, enjoy your retirement and thanks for the glorious memories.
David Smith, N.Ireland

I think now that pat is retiring on Saturday it will be a great loss to the flat racing season, in my eyes pat Eddery was one of the greatest, if not the greatest flat jockey there has ever been, I have followed racing most my life especially when pat was racing cause I knew 9 times out of ten he will ride a great race. I one can only hope that i will have as much energy and charisma at his very young and tender age
Ged Pye, England, Liverpool

Best Wishes, PAT. I will always remember the balmy Goodwood Friday evenings, where you always delivered a winner to pay for the weekend.
Kevin brown, UK

My best and earliest memory was with pat riding Grundy against Bustino at Ascot.I have admired Pat ever since. Best Wishes Pat.
Kevin, England

Pat will be missed by all of us up here in Newcastle upon Tyne, a brilliant horseman, whenever he came up to Gosforth park to ride you were nearly always guaranteed a couple of winners, he was always hard to beat when he hit the front, thanks for years of pleasure pat and good luck.
Jim Hamilton, England

Best wishes go to Pat Eddery with his new venture - racing will be losing its last superstar from the 70s and 80s ... all the memories come flooding back and remind us how privileged we were to see Carson, Cauthen, Eddery, Mercer and Piggott all riding at the same time.

Punters will miss you - the bookies certainly will not! Steve, Wales

Without demeaning flat jockeys these days, there seem to be far fewer with the ability and panache of the above - so racing is the poorer for Pat's retirement and has lost some of its colour.

Good luck Pat - I'll always remember you getting the exceptional best out of Rainbow Quest - something other jockeys tried but could not manage!
Andrew, Boston, USA

Pat - thanks for making Horse Racing a great sport to watch - you have been a credit to your profession.

Best memories were the 1985 Breeders Cup Turf win on Pebbles & the 4,00th career win on Silver Patriarch.

Punters will miss you - the bookies certainly will not! We won't see your like again.
Steve, Wales

I would like to wish Pat all the best for the future. No one will forget his win on Quest For Fame in the Derby and his rides on Dancing Brave. I would like to thank Pat for the many years of pleasure he has given the sport and once again wish him all the best, you're a legend of our time
Simon Adams, Southampton

Pat Eddery - best ride was on Grundy against Bustino at Ascot.
Winston, Maidenhead

Racing has lost a great vehicle to publice the sport in not supporting Pat Eddery to beat Sir Gordon's career record. Outside Hannon,Noseda and his regulars ,where was the support of those who chased his services in his prime?

The record was only a few years away at normal rates of success but who can blame Pat for not wishing to ride the minor tracks for 70 or so winners a season. The ability is obviously still there and the publicity would surely have far exceeded A P McCoys' exploits.
J MEIGHAN, Wales

Must agree with Mark Smith about Pat's ride on the Sheikh, paid 28/1 US prices, after that always followed Pat, Unfortunately he never had 7 winners in one day. Still some great memories. High ho silver .
Dave Kelly, belguim

In reply to Charles Rear. El Gran Senor - Can you say if Eddery had ridden him differently he definitely would have won? The horse didn't truly stay 12f.

You come up with two instances from his whole career? Hardly a case is it? Any rider with a career as long as Eddery's will have lost races he should have won. So what? Eddery wasn't perfect, no one is, but I think most will agree he was a great rider.
John, Sheffield

I am only 12 years old, I have heard a lot about Pat Eddery from my my great grandfather who has since died. He used to back the mounts of Pat, we hope he has a very happy retirement.
Danny Napton, Plymouth

I will always remember Pat's storming charge on Sheik Albadou in the Breeders Cup meeting, a brilliantly timed piece of riding that obliterated a high class field of sprinters at an unbelievable price. I think Pat's new venture will be very popular, I hope it goes well.
Mark Smith, Doncaster

Sad to see you go Pat! Legend is a term used to frequently these days, this man deserves this accolade bestowed on him. I agree with Ritchie Povey, Pat's ride on Celeric in the 1997 Gold Cup was the Maestro at the height of his powers, enjoy your retirement Pat.
Shazir Ayub, Redbridge

After what passes for jockeyship in this country now, it is such a shame that Pat Eddery is retiring even if he is 51 years old.

Other than Kieran Fallon and the odd ride from Frankie Dettori not one of the so called top jockeys can hold a candle to Pat, I'll certainly miss him and that brilliant riding style.

Can anyone forget him on Dancing Brave? What a combination.
Hugh Dorman, England

I will be very sad to see Pat hang up his boots at the end of the season, but all good champs have there day and Pat had 30 great years in the game.

He is the last of that great triumvirate of Flat jockeys that dominated British racing - Piggott, Carson & Eddery. Jeremy White, Essex

The only bad things I could say about Pat is that when he's on a beaten horse he drops his hands which I believe is wrong, and also sometimes his choice of rides is questionable.
Blakey, Birmingham

Many congratulations to Pat Eddery on his remarkable career.

He was one of the most reliable jockeys - you could always back his rides with confidence.

His career proves that in the best sports, youth is not the be all and end all - experience can keep you competitive or make you even better.

It is almost unbelievable that someone could stay at the top of his sporting profession as long as he has - especially so when one considers the physical wasting that flat jockeys have to endure day in day out.

He is the last of that great triumvirate of Flat jockeys that dominated British racing - Piggott, Carson & Eddery.

I have followed his career since he was an apprentice and each and every day I look to see his intended mounts. Not because I wish to place a bet but because I can watch him ride, if televised, or check how he fared in next day's newspaper.

For me Pat Eddery is horse racing: I will find it difficult to sustain the same interest when he retires.

I admire his modesty and calm efficiency; his relentless application and sense of duty. I admire him for his personal qualities as much as his jockeyship which is unsurpassed.

I have been lucky to see him frequently in Ireland and I do hope he will say farewell to us all at the Curragh before he finally bows out. I am an English teacher but words fail me as I contemplate a racing future without him. Things will never be quite the same whether Ascot or Windsor.
Francis Kelly, N.Ireland

Good luck to Pat for the future.
Jeremy White, Essex

Pat Eddery is a racing legend and he rode many great horses. Two of the best rides that stick out in my memory are Dancing Brave in the Arc and Celeric in the Ascot Gold Cup.
Ritchie Povey, Coalville, Leicestershire