Lester Piggott Interview

Lester Piggott Interview -
We talk to horseracing legend jockey Lester Piggott, popularly known as "The Long Fellow". He is considered to be the best of his generation and the greatest English flat jockey of all time, with 4,493 career wins, including nine Derby victories.

Piggott began racing horses from his father's stable when he was 10 years old and won his first race in 1948, aged 12 years, on a horse called The Chase at Haydock Park. A teenage sensation, he rode his first winner of the Epsom Derby on Never Say Die in 1954 aged 18 years and went on to win eight more, on Crepello (1957), St. Paddy (1960), Sir Ivor (1968), Nijinsky (1970), Roberto (1972), Empery (1976), The Minstrel (1977) and Teenoso (1983). He was stable jockey to Noel Murless and later to Vincent O'Brien and had a glittering career of unparalleled success. Known as the "housewives' favourite", Piggott had legions of followers and did much to expand the popularity of horse racing beyond its narrow, class-based origins.

Famously tall for a jockey (5 ft 8 in/1.73 m), hence his nickname of "The Long Fellow", Lester Piggott struggled to keep his weight down and for most of his career rode at little more than 8 stone (112 lb/51 kg). He pioneered a new style of race-riding that was subsequently widely adopted by colleagues at home and abroad and enabled him to become Champion Jockey 11 times. There can be little doubt that had he not chosen after the 1971 season to ride more selectively that he would have won more championships.

Presented and Post by Russell Nelson
Camera by Bernadette McIntyre
With thanks to Showmasters

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[luminatedgame]

royal academy.

[sunseekaphb]

my dad john hollis was youngest horse trainer in the 30s my uncle brian hollis was in his class at school so i have some wonderfull pics of arckle sir ivor nijinski red rum brigadier gerard,brown jack,mill reef,golden miller by chris jennings and there for sale 07720374294 offers xx

[macvatu]

I didn't see Sir Ivor, but Nijinsky was quite a horse and I'm certain Lester would agree. He and Piggot lost out in a photo-finish in the Arch de Triomph to Sassafra with Yves Saint Martin on board, what a thriller that was.

[macvatu]

. . . not much of a talker, but he let his actions do the talking. . . all time favourite !!

[unclemort1960]

@anglianchannel i think he over used the whip !

[edkaley1]

anglianchannel

you are a complete nonsense and do not know shit.

for what it's worth a mate of mine was in prison with Lester and said he was "looked after" because he was Lester.

[bertalloti]

Sadly missed around the racing circls, a true genius, and probably the best jockey the world has ever seen

[bafoxtrot]

The Greatest jockey ever, he was the best ever .

[anglianchannel]

the only 25 stone man to ride a derby winner was lester piggots cellmate

[TheALMAHAZA]

The greatest.