Legend jockey Pat Eddery leaves all his money to his lover

Newbridge-born jockey Pat Eddery left his entire estate to his former stable girl lover in his will and nothing to his four children, it has been revealed.

Probate records released last week show the 63-year-old left £733,894 (€835,000) after inheritance tax and funeral and legal expenses - to his partner Emma Owen, 40.

Eddery, who died in November 2015, referred to her as "my Emma" in a new will drawn up two years before his death.

He stated his estate should be split between his children if she died before him - but they received nothing as she survived him.

"It has been so sad to witness his decline and my siblings and I knew that we would lose him to his demon drink.

He was also the father of jockey Toby Atkinson, 27, from one of several affairs during his marriage.

Miss Owen said she believed Nichola was contesting the will.

She added the jockey had provided for his daughters for many years but they had "walked out of his life because they just couldn't respect his decision to move on and be with someone he wanted to be with".

Miss Owen said: "They didn't like it and they used [his] drinking to excuse their own behaviour. He didn't turn his back on them at all."

She also revealed she and Eddery had been about to marry but he died a month before the ceremony was due to take place.

Miss Owen began working for Eddery at his training yard in early 2009 six months after his wife Carolyn walked out on him after 34 years of marriage due to his heavy drinking.

She reportedly became his partner around three months later and moved into his home at 107-acre Musk Hill stud farm in Buckinghamshire, England, where she still lives.

Eddery's daughters had an acrimonious relationship with her and claimed they were not even told he was in hospital for five days before he died from a heart attack after a coronary blood clot.

Natasha put out an emotional statement on Instagram after Eddery died, saying she had not seen him for five years due to his heavy drinking, although they spoke by phone.

She wrote: "But that said, I loved him so much and I had probably the best childhood anyone could ask for.

"I was so proud and still am so proud to be his daughter, he was an amazing jockey, father and husband, but in the end he was taken over by a terrible disease."

Speaking about his will, she said: "I have put all my stuff about my dad behind me. It doesn't really bother me.

"It's his choice. I'm not upset about it because my dad was ill and I didn't see him as my dad any more."

Eddery's son Toby, who met his father for the first time when he was 18, said he was "a bit disappointed" to inherit nothing while everything went to Miss Owen.

But he added: "I haven't really got hard feelings because she was entitled to it as she was with him to the end."