Racing Greats: The Legendary Career of Lester Piggott Lester Piggott was one of the greatest riders ever to grace the sport of racing, an 11-time champion jockey, the winner of 30 British Classics, a record nine Epsom Derbies and one of the most revered figures in the history of the sport. Affectionately known as 'The Long Fellow', his career spanned nearly five decades and included more than 5,000 worldwide winners. He remains as one of the truly great icons of British sport, a figure revered and treasured for his immeasurable horsemanship. Racing in the blood Piggott's grandfather, Ernie Piggott, rode three Grand National winners, in 1912, 1918 and 1919, while his father, Keith, won the Champion Hurdle (1939) as a rider and the Grand National (1963) as a trainer. Horses were never far from his young life and, so, aged just 12, his first win was aboard The Chase at Haydock Park in 1948. The delighted young rider was just 4ft 6in and weighed 5st 4lb. He landed his first Epsom Derby on 33/1 chance Never Say Die in 1954, still a teenager, but by now more than a foot taller and already going against the convention of a jockey's stature — something he battled throughout his prolific career. He was unusually tall for a Flat jockey at 5ft 7 1⁄2 inches and would routinely ride about 2st below his natural body weight. Making Epsom his own Piggott would go on to win The Derby, Britain's premier Classic at Epsom, on eight more occasions, with Crepello (1957), St Paddy (1960), Sir Ivor (1968), Nijinsky (1970), Roberto (1972), Empery (1976), The Minstrel (1977) and Teenoso (1983). He was the go-to man in the great race. He was also runner-up four times, with the last of his 36 rides in the greatest Flat race in the world being in 1994 and his record still stands. No other jockey has won The Derby more than six times. He also won the Irish equivalent five times at the Curragh, plus other versions in France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Singapore and even Slovakia. Performing on the biggest stages His nine Epsom Derby wins aside, Piggott's other 21 British Classic victories consisted of eight St Leger successes, six Oaks triumphs, five 2,000 Guineas victories and two in the 1,000 Guineas. His Classic wins in Britain came from 25 individual horses. Piggott also starred at Royal Ascot, where he won the Gold Cup on 11 occasions, including a hat-trick on Sagaro from 1975-1977. In total, he rode 166 Royal Ascot winners in his career, a benchmark that still stands today with no other rider yet breaking through the century barrier. He also won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe three times — including twice on Alleged (1977-78). He was Britain's champion jockey 11 times between 1960 and 1982, including every year from 1964-1971. His first retirement came in 1985 when he decided to become a trainer. Back in the saddle Things didn't go to plan. He was convicted of tax fraud and spent 12 months in jail, thus ending a promising start to life as a trainer at Eve Lodge Stables in Newmarket. Piggott resumed his career as a jockey in 1990, at the age of 55, and won the Breeders' Cup Mile on Royal Academy within 10 days of his return at Belmont Park. He rode on in Britain for another four years before retiring for a second and final time. His last win in Britain was in October 1994 and his final ride in Britain was in the November Handicap at Doncaster a month later. Legacy lives on in racing Piggott passed away in May 2022 at the age of 86 and the news was much mourned in racing circles. Before he died, his impact on the sport was widely recognised. The Lesters, inaugurated by the Professional Jockeys Association in 1990, annually recognise the achievements of jockeys. In 2019, a life-size bronze statue of Piggott was unveiled at Newmarket's Rowley Mile Racecourse.
