Lester Keith Piggott is more than the sum of his parts. He is a name, a legend, a phenomenon, and one of the true greats of jockeying. The 81-year-old’s resume is simply breathtaking; over the course of his career, he managed to put together 4,493 wins, but even managinh to win the Epsom Derby 9 times. They called him the Long Fellow, and his competitive nature kept him in races even when the bookies had written him off.
Born in Wantage, Piggott came from a long line of trainers and jockeys going back all the way to the 18th century. His grandfather was a three-time Grand National winner. The young Piggott started riding horses in his own backyard, where his father kept stables. The would-be jockey managed to win his first race at the tender age of 12. This paved a path forward for a stellar career that spanned decades and included impressive accolades.
Notable accolades
The Long Fellow(moniker was used because he was taller than the average jockey) has been crowned Champion Jockey a record eleven times. Riding Never Say Die, he managed his first Epsom Derby victory at just 18 years of age. He would go on to win eight more and etch his name in the history of flat racing.
When Piggott retired, he became a trainer. In their heydays, his stables housed 97 horses and managed to send out 30-odd winners. However, his career as a trainer took a beating when he got in trouble with the law over tax evasion, ending up in jail for a year. After prison, he resumed with his jockeying career and rode his last winner in 1994. He hung up his saddle in 1995.
The paper trail
Lester Piggot existed in a timeline where jockeying more of a hobby than a career. However, due to this longevity in the sport, he is estimated to have raked in millions of pounds in winnings.