Happy Birthday Paul

A LAST minute dash to Wolverhampton racecourse recently re-enforced Dalepak’s continuing support of horse racing... and jockey Paul Eddery in particular.

The leading flat jockey is a firm friend of Dalepak managing director Mick White who has been sponsoring Eddery for almost six years since he first rode a winner for him on board Crimson Silk at Windsor in August 2002.

The Wolverhampton date coincided with Eddery’s 45th birthday but with Mick and his wife Sheila holidaying abroad in Portugal, the task of bearing gifts to mark the occasion fell to their grandson Dale who duly arrived at Dunstall Park for the evening fixture armed with a bottle of champagne and assorted goodies.

Then, a night which began with promise almost exploded into major celebrations as Eddery’s mount Capistrano, owned by retired Northampton bookmaker Brian Goodyear for the Gavin Blake stable which is also strongly backed by Dalepak, was only beaten a length into second place of the 12 runners, at the richly rewarding each-way odds of 25/1!

Mick said: “I was watching the race on my screen in Portugal and it was a vintage Paul Eddery ride. Although I have only known him for seven or so years now it seems to be a lifetime and I value him as a great friend and a shrewd judge of racehorses. I went to his wedding in Newmarket last year and he is someone with whom Dalepak is proud to be associated.”

He added: “Paul has already ridden winners for my racing business partner Paul Mason this year, notably on Lieutenant Pigeon (pictured right) at Southwell and Kempton in March which kicked off our new stable venture and we are looking forward to teaming up with more success in the future.”

Eddery is the younger brother of Pat Eddery, the record-breaking 12 times multiple champion flat jockey who is now a successful trainer in Buckinghamshire, while his son Charles is an up and coming young rider who partnered his first winner – Grande Caiman – at Lingfield last November. Paul’s own riding career has been a distinguished one, including such notable names as Most Welcome and Cadeaux Genereux. He won the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on the former, while Cadeaux Genereux was his mount when landing the July Cup in 1989.
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