Pat Smullen
A quiet master of the Irish turf whose tactical brilliance and partnership with Harzand delivered two unforgettable Derby victories.
1977–2020 (age 43)·Irish jockey·Birthday: May 22·Generation X
Biography
Pat Smullen's career was a study in consistency and quiet excellence. As the longtime stable jockey for trainer Dermot Weld, he became the dependable cornerstone of Irish flat racing, clinching the champion jockey title nine times. His style was not about flamboyance but precision, an intuitive understanding of pace and position that made him a feared competitor. The pinnacle came in 2016 aboard the Aga Khan's Harzand, a horse he guided to a gutsy Epsom Derby win just days after a foot abscess threatened its participation, following up with another triumph in the Irish Derby. Smullen's legacy was cemented not just by his wins but by his immense dignity during a very public battle with pancreatic cancer, through which he raised millions for cancer research.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Pat was born in 1977, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Pat Was Born
The biggest hits of 1977
#1 Movie
Star Wars
Best Picture
Annie Hall
#1 TV Show
Happy Days
Pat's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1977Born
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1982Started school
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1990Became a teenager
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Could drive
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1995Could vote
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Turned 21
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2007Turned 30
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 40
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2020Died at 43
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
Key Achievements
- Won both the Epsom Derby and the Irish Derby in 2016 riding Harzand.
- Secured the Irish Flat Racing Champion Jockey title a remarkable nine times.
- Rode over 1,800 winners in Ireland during his career.
- Raised over €2.5 million for cancer research through a charity race he organized in 2019.
Did You Know?
He was the regular jockey for the great mare Rite Of Passage, winning the Ascot Gold Cup in 2010.
The Pat Smullen Champions Race for Cancer Trials Ireland at the Curragh in 2019 featured nine former champion jockeys.
He initially worked as an apprentice for trainer Kevin Prendergast.
“You have to be dedicated, you have to be disciplined, and you have to love it.”
