There was widespread sadness this week with the news of the death of multiple champion jockey Pat Eddery. Coverage of his passing at the age of just 63 years not only filled the sports pages of the national dailies, it made the news pages also.

For many of these papers his achievements in the saddle were, thankfully, the main story. For others it was about his life after retiring and his battles with his demons and ill-health. Sadly the latter aspect of his life was real and had huge impacts personally on many people close to him and on those who loved him dearly. That cannot be ignored but it would be a huge pity were it to take in any measure from his achievements as a sportsman of the highest calibre.