Lester Piggott Day Postponed

Racing will go ahead at Newmarket on Friday and Saturday afternoons as scheduled, but Saturday´s betdirect-sponsored card will no longer be a raceday paying tribute to Lester Piggott.

Lester, who suffered a recurrence of a heart problem in Switzerland yesterday, is recuperating in hospital in Lausanne and, following a discussion this morning with his wife, Susan, and daughter, Maureen, it has been agreed to postpone the event until the autumn.

Lisa Hancock, Managing Director of Newmarket Racecourses, said: 'Lester Piggott Day without the great man present would have had an empty feel.

'Lester was so looking forward to the day, to meeting his many fans and hosting his family and friends at the racecourse. Even as he lay in his hospital bed yesterday he was expressing his determination to be back here for Saturday. That won´t be possible, but now, as he convalesces, he can still look forward to it later in the year.

'Saturday will now be a normal raceday and we will be changing the race titles, which had been named after his seven Guineas winners. I am very grateful to the day´s sponsors, betdirect, for their understanding about the late changes.

'All the elements that were to have made up the day - a 'Lester The Legend' display organised by the National Horseracing Museum, a souvenir racecard, clips of Lester´s Guineas winners shown on the big screen, book signings, interviews with racing celebrities, a special presentation to Lester - will be put on ice until the autumn. A very likely date is Saturday, September 22, but we will wait until we have talked it through with Lester in due course when he returns to Newmarket.

'We are just so happy that Lester is OK and is expected to make a full recovery - when we first heard the news yesterday morning we were very concerned indeed. Now we just look forward to hearing the news that he´s out of hospital and on his way back to Newmarket where I know he will get a very warm welcome home.'

Ed Ware, Chief Executive of betdirect and 32Red, said: 'Naturally we are disappointed that we have had to postpone the betdirect-sponsored tribute to Lester on Saturday as we were looking forward to playing our small part in honouring one of the great British sporting icons.

'Our hope is that we see Lester back at HQ very soon and we would like to take the opportunity to echo what all racing fans throughout the world have been saying in recent days and wish him a very speedy recovery.'