Northern-based jump jockey Edward (Eddie) Callaghan was born in Ireland on January 5, 1974. He rode for Malton trainer Malcolm Jefferson in the second half of the 1990s and enjoyed his best seasons in 1996/97 with 21 winners and 1997/98 with 35 winners.
He was still a conditional when gaining his most important success on Go-informal in the Grade 2 Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury on November 29, 1997. He lost his claim the following month.
He would have ridden Dato Star when he won the Haydock Park Champion Hurdle Trial in January 1998 but for being injured. However, he did ride him in that year’s Champion Hurdle, for which they started 6-1 joint second favourite behind Istabraq. Sadly, their race effectively ended when Dato Star took off too early at the fifth flight and caught his hind leg in the hurdle. He landed on soft ground and did the splits. They continued in the race, eventually finishing in thirteenth place. It was subsequently discovered that Dato Star had sustained a cut on a back leg that went down to the bone, although he did recover to race again.
