Legendary jockey Lester Piggott dies at the age of 86

Legendary jockey Lester Piggott, perhaps the greatest rider there has been, has died at the age of 86.

He died peacefully in the early hours of Sunday morning in Switzerland, having been in hospital several days.

His death comes six days before the Derby at Epsom, a race he will always be synonymous with. He won the greatest Flat race in the world on a a record nine occasions, including as a teenager on the first occasion.

He rode his first winner, The Chase, at Haydock in 1948 when just 12 years of age and his last win came with Palacegate Jack at the same Merseyside track in 1994, a few weeks short of his 59th birthday. He retired for a final time in 1995.

Piggot’s son-in-law, Derby-winning trainer William Haggas, said: “Sadly we can confirm that Lester died peacefully in Switzerland this morning. I really don’t wish to add much more than that at this stage, although Maureen will be making a statement later.”

Piggott towered above his fellow jockeys, literally and metaphorically. His genius in the saddle has rarely, if ever, been matched and his decorated career included a comeback that was the stuff of movie scripts.

He began riding racehorses at the age of 10 and his last win was in his 60th year. In between, he established himself as the greatest jockey there has been. He won 4,493 races and was champion jockey 11 times.

There were few more distinctive sights in sport than watching the upright Piggott cruise home on a thoroughbred when motionless. Yet he could also win ugly, such as when he he all but carried Roberto over the line in the 1972 Derby when he won by a short head and survived a long stewards' enquiry.

Extremely tall for a Flat jockey at 5ft 7 1/2in, "The Long Fellow" would routinely ride about 2st below his natural body weight. Many would have given up with the this constant struggle, or switched to the jumps, but Piggott's hunger was sustained by a never-ending stream of winners.

In total, he won 30 Classics and ruled at Royal Ascot, chalking up 116 winners there, including 11 in the Gold Cup. A brief training career saw him also saddle Cutting Blade to win the Coventry Stakes at the Royal Meeting in 1986.

He helped shape and mould the career of numerous champions, including the Vincent O’Brien-trained Nijinsky, who won the Triple Crown in 1970. No horse had achieved the feat for 35 years, and none have achieved it since.

A brilliant and ruthless tactician, it was little wonder great trainers Noel Murless, Vincent O’ Brien and Henry Cecil all employed him at one time or another.

Willie Carson rode against Piggott for many years and observed: “He was confident. He had the confidence, because he didn’t care about others, where normal people worry about doing the wrong thing. That man, for some reason, never showed any pressure. He never seemed to be under any pressure. He rode his horses with such great confidence.

“I wouldn’t call him a close friend, but as the years go on, the more endearing you are to one another – we had a racing life together and I wish I had been as good as him.”

Piggott was born on November 5, 1935, and his career path was set from day one. His father, Keith, was a successful jump jockey and champion trainer, while his grandfather, Ernie, rode three Grand National winners. His great-grandfather, Rickaby, trained Wild Dayrell, won the Derby in 1855.

He was just 4ft 6in and weighed 5st 4lb when riding his first winner, aged 12. By the time he won his first Derby on Never Say Die, six years later, he was more than a foot taller and 8st 7lb. His lifetime fight against his biggest opponent, the scales, had begun.

Piggott’s other Derby winners were Crepello (1957), St Paddy (1960), Sir Ivor (1968), Nijinsky (1970), Roberto (1972), Empery (1976), The Minstrel (1977) and Teenoso (1983). He was also runner-up four times, with the last of his 36 rides in the race being in 1994.

No other jockey has won The Derby more than six times, with no current rider having won it more than twice. Piggott’s other 21 British Classic victories consisted of eight St Leger wins; six Oaks victories; five 2,000 Guineas triumphs and two 1,000 Guineas.

France’s biggest prize, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, was scooped three times – including twice on Alleged (1977-78). He was champion jockey for the first time in 1960, gaining the last of his 11 titles in 1982.

Piggott retired at the end of the 1985 Flat season to become a trainer but his new career ended when he was convicted of tax fraud and sent to prison for a year.

On his release, he resumed riding and less than a fortnight after leaving jail, travelled to America to win the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Belmont Park on Royal Academy for Vincent O’Brien. It was perhaps the greatest comeback the sport had ever seen.

He rode on in Britain for another four years before retiring for a second and final time.

The Lesters, inaugurated in 1990, annually recognise the achievements of jockeys, and in 2019 a life-size bronze statue of Piggott was unveiled at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile Racecourse - one of nine effigies to commemorate each of his Derby winners.

Piggott showed maturity way beyond his 18 years when becoming the youngest jockey to win the blue riband. Never Say Die may have been a 33-1 shot, but Piggott rode the Joe Lawson-trained colt with great confidence. After lying handy in the first six, Piggott took him to the outside in the straight and he stretched clear to score by two lengths from Arabian Night.

Piggott’s second Derby success was much more expected, as his partner Crepello had won the 2000 Guineas and was sent off the 6-4 favourite. Noel Murless’ talented but fragile colt outclassed the opposition. Winning in a time just outside the course record set by Mahmoud in 1936, Crepello had a top-class horse in Ballymoss in second place, beaten a length and a half. Talk of the Triple Crown was dashed when Crepello went badly lame. He never ran again.

Piggott and Murless struck again with St Paddy, who relished the step up in trip after finishing sixth in the Guineas. In touch with the leaders from the start, the 7-1 shot was always travelling comfortably and won smoothly by three lengths from Alcaeus. St Paddy went on to win the St Leger.

Described by Piggott as the best horse he ever rode, Sir Ivor had to produce a special performance to win the Derby. Sent on his way the 4-5 favourite to back up his victory in the 2000 Guineas, the Classic double looked doubtful two furlongs out, with Connaught sailing into a five-length lead. However, the Vincent O’Brien-trained colt produced a sensational burst of speed to reel in the leader and be a length and a half ahead at the line.

Named after the famed Russian ballet dancer of the early 20th century, Nijinsky galloped into racing immortality by becoming first horse to win the Triple Crown since Bahram 35 years earlier. The Derby was the middle leg of that particular Holy Grail and racegoers at Epsom witnessed an impeccable performance from another horse representing the Piggott-O’Brien combination. The result was never in any doubt as Nijinsky cruised past he French race Gyr to win by two and a half lengths. No horse has won the Triple Crown since.

After controversially replacing Bill Williamson, Piggott made the most of the opportunity on this talented O’Brien inmate. The finish itself was dramatic, with Roberto locked in a ding-dong battle with Rheingold. They crossed the line virtually inseparable, Roberto getting the verdict by a nostril thanks to a vigorous ride from the master. It was not over there, though. A 20-minute stewards’ inquiry kept connections on tenterhooks before Roberto could eventually be hailed the winner.

Another masterclass from Piggott as he became the winning-most Derby jockey on the French raider, trained by Maurice Zilber. Henry Cecil’s Wollow was the hot favourite at 11-10, with Empery second-favourite at 10-1 – mainly due to Piggott’s popularity with the betting public. Empery was clear best in the race, as he romped home by three lengths from Relkino, with Wollow only fifth.

Piggott had a willing partner in The Minstrel who got up close home to beat Hot Grove by a neck in a thrilling finish. The Minstrel was nearer last than first in the early stages, but Piggott made his move to counter that of Willie Carson, who had sent Hot Grove on early in the straight. Gradually reducing the lead, The Minstrel got his head in front to give Piggott and O’Brien another success in the premier Classic.

The going may have been heavy, but it was so easy for Piggott on what was his final Derby triumph. It was all so straightforward on the mud-loving Teenoso for trainer Geoff Wragg. Close to the pace from the start, Piggott made the most of the horse’s stamina by kicking on fully three furlongs from home. Carlingford Castle stayed on, but it was as all over, with Teenoso winning by three lengths.