Edmondson, Robert

photo courtesy John Griffiths

Robert John Edmondson burst upon the racing scene in 1971; by the end of the next season, he was top apprentice.Then, tragically, it was all taken away from him.

He contacted the bone disease osteomyelitis, and the

weight problems this brought about forced him out of

the saddle.

He was great friends with Pat Eddery whom he had

succeeded as champion apprentice; it must have been difficult for Robert on seeing the rewards racing had brought Pat, and wondering from his own point of view what might have been.

Recalling his early days, he said: "I was just a little boy from Yorkshire when I joined Paul Cole in 1969. He had only been going himself for a couple of years and didn't have a big string in those days. I couldn't ride when I joined him, but the following year I rode

my first winner in August on Optimistic Pirate at Brighton and two years later he made me champion jockey. I wasn't the perfect apprentice, but he gave me lots of opportunities and I can't speak too highly of him. I rode a lot of winners and I was a regular in Ireland at the weekends where I even rode a winner for Vincent O'Brien."

Robert took a job as kitchen porter and bartender at a hotel, but got back with

horses when looking after some hunters owned by Vince Kilkenny, for whom he had won the 1974 Zetland Gold Cup on Owenboliska.

He looked after Sussex Stakes winner On The House for Harry Wragg. He began work riding, first for Geoff Wragg then for his former assistant, David Loder, Godolphin's trainer at Evry, France.

Robert admitted to enjoying his time with Loder. He said: "David pays good wages because he wants the job done well. The life at Evry suited me me because I love fishing and we were right by the Seine.

His other great passion is pigeon racing.

Robert was born on February 16, 1953.

His father was a chief technician in the RAF for 30 years.