Lester Piggott

Lester Piggott the Jockey


Lester Piggott


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Lester Piggott

Lester Piggott was born at Wantage on the 5th November 1935

He was apprenticed to his father Keith at Lambourn and came in to the limelight when riding his first winner on The Chase in the Wigan Selling Plate at Haydock Park on 18th August 1948, when only twelve years of age.

The following season he had six winners from 120 rides and within two years of his first winner Piggott, still only 14 years old was established as a top class lightweight riding 52 winners from 404 mounts and finishing 11th to Gordon Richards in the list of winning jockeys.

In 1952 Lester Piggott had his first ride in the Epsom Derby when riding Gay Time owned by Mrs J V Rank. The combination were beaten three quarters of a length by Charlie Smirke riding Tulyar.

In the 1953 Epsom Derby Lester Piggott finished 15th riding a horse called Prince Charlemagne. The interesting part about this being that in 1954 Piggott won the Triumph Hurdle at Hurst Park on the same horse.

Also in 1954 and only three months after winning the Triumph Lester Piggott rode his first Derby winner on Never Say Die owned by Mr R S Clark and trained by J Lawson in Newmarket at odds of 33/1.

In 1955 Lester Piggott succeeded Sir Gordon Richards as first jockey to Noel Murless and for the first time rode more than 100 winners in a season ending up with 103 and being third to Doug Smith in the jockeys table.

In 1960 Piggott rode 170 winners from 640 mounts and became Champion Jockey for the first time.

After losing the jockey's title in 1961 with 164 winners against Scobie Breasley's 171 and only riding 96 winners in 1962 when fourth to Breasley, he narrowly failed to regain the jockey's title in 1963 going down by 1 winner again to Breasley after winning the last race of the season at Manchester on Fury Royal.
This was the last race to be run at Manchester Racecourse

At the 1965 Royal Ascot meeting Piggott rode eight winners
Casablanca in the Royal Hunt Cup for Noel Murless
Bracey Bridge in the Ribblesdale Stakes for Noel Murless
Sweet Moss in the Rous Memorial for Noel Murless
Young Emperor in the Coventry Stakes for Paddy Prendergast
Tin King in the New Stakes for Fulke Johnson Houghton
Fighting Charlie in the Gold Cup for F Maxwell
Swift Harmony in the Chesham Stakes for E Reavey
Brave Knight in the King George V Stakes for Walter Nightingall

Piggott rode as a freelance jockey in 1967 retaining his title. In the ensuing years as a result of his freelance status he was able to ride the best of British, French and Irish horses most notably those to be found in the Vincent O'Brien yard which included greats such as Sir Ivor, Nijinsky (on whom he won the Triple Crown), Roberto, Boucher, Alleged, Solinus, Meneval, Godswalk, Try My Best, Artaius and The Minstrel.

He also formed a winning relationship with the Nelson Bunker Hunt owned / Maurice Zilber trained Dahlia on whom he won the 1974 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. This was a memorable day (27 July 1974) for Piggott as he notched his 3,000th career win on Roussalka earler in the day plus two other winners besides.

In 1975 Lester Piggott was awarded an OBE. He also won the Oaks on Juliette Marny and once again rode eight winners at Royal Ascot.

Teenoso in 1983 provided Piggott with his ninth Derby winner which is the record for the most Derby winners ridden.

Piggott retired from race riding at the end of the 1985 flat season to become a trainer but in 1987 he was jailed for three years (served 366 days) for tax irregularities. He was stripped of his OBE awarded in 1975 as a result.

In 1990 Piggott returned to race riding winning the Breeders Cup Turf on Royal Academy for Vincent O'Brien.

Lester Piggott rode his final classic winner on Rodrigo de Triano in the 1992 2000 Guineas for Peter Chapple-Hyam

Lester Piggott rode his last British winner in October 1994 on Palacegate Jack for Cockerham trainer Jack Berry at Haydock in the King's Regiment Cup Conditions Stakes and retired finally in 1995.

In total Lester Piggott rode 4,493 winners including 30 English Classics and was Champion Jockey 11 times.