RIP - Lester Piggot t

bertie

"the" famous jockey   growing up........................ 

no more tax to worry about now 

equalsql

According to Mrs equalsql,  who is a complete expert, nay encyclopedia , on 20th century British flat racing*,
Lester Piggot had an almost telepathic connection to the horses he rode. She told me she'd never seen anyone able to 'read' a horse like he could, he was so attuned to the animal.
An utter legend in horse racing, 9 Derby wins and nearly 4.5k in a lifetime. Extraordinary.

A reporter once asked him after a race "When did you know you were going to win" to which he replied "about two weeks ago" 

RIP Lester, I doubt we'll ever see the like of you again.

* At the tender age of 17 she was arguably the youngest horse-pedigree researcher who ever worked for the Curragh Bloodstock Agency in Newmarket back in the early 1980s.

bertie

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usedtobe

Not a fan of the sport, but an absolute legend. THE jockey, for a lot of folks, I should think..
I well remember the tax scandal, and all that.. how times have changed..

RIP

StefB

His funeral is next Wednesday at 20/1. 

boogieman

I honestly thought he’d died years ago. I’ll admit I know sod all about horse racing but I do know you don’t get to win as many races as Lester did unless you’re truly exceptional. 

RIP. 

Philly_Q

My impression, probably inaccurate, is that the tax evasion conviction really ruined his reputation and he seemed to disappear from public life.  I can't remember the last time I heard his name mentioned, although I don't follow horse racing.

If he got done for tax evasion now, everyone would think he was a cheeky scamp - a perfect hero for the Boris Johnson era.  He'd have been in the House of Lords.

Dominic

Greatest Jockey ever .....Dettori didn't come close

Philly_Q

Just a thought @bertie, might be worth changing the title to add the second "t" to Piggott.

bertie

Philly_Q said:

Just a thought @bertie, might be worth changing the title to add the second "t" to Piggott.

he lost that in the great 90s tax scandal 

axisus

I always hated horse racing, but even as a child I knew the name Lester Piggott. It was an intriguing name, but also he was just s famous that you heard his name a lot. He was very tall for a jockey and known as 'the long fellow', and he pioneered a new and unique riding style. Rode 4,493 winners!

If anyone is interested I found this decent tribute video. 10 mins long and worth a look if you want to know what he was about.

Dominic

axisus said:

I always hated horse racing, but even as a child I knew the name Lester Piggott. It was an intriguing name, but also he was just s famous that you heard his name a lot. He was very tall for a jockey and known as 'the long fellow', and he pioneered a new and unique riding style. Rode 4,493 winners!

If anyone is interested I found this decent tribute video. 10 mins long and worth a look if you want to know what he was about.

I bet you also knew the name Harvey Smith ,the showjumper .He also seemed to be well known of outside of the Equestrian world.

axisus

Dominic said:

I bet you also knew the name Harvey Smith ,the showjumper .He also seemed to be well known of outside of the Equestrian world.

Yes, you are right!