A record nine victories in the Epsom Derby defined the career of Lester Keith Piggott, who secured his first race win at Haydock Park in 1948 at age twelve. Across a career spanning decades, the Wantage-born jockey amassed 4,493 flat racing wins in Britain, establishing a competitive standard that fundamentally altered the approach to professional equestrianism.
Familial Roots and Early Mastery
Born in 1935, Piggott emerged from a lineage of horsemen tracing back to the 18th century. His grandfather, Ernest Piggott, achieved success as a three-time British jump racing Champion Jockey, while his father, Ernest Keith Piggott, operated a training stable in Lambourn. Beginning his training under his father, the younger Piggott transitioned from early hurdle riding to flat racing, quickly developing a reputation for a reserved temperament and physical discipline.
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Standing 5 feet 7 inches tall, Piggott earned the nickname The Long Fellow, a moniker derived from his unusual height for a flat jockey. Maintaining a riding weight of 8 stone 5 pounds required persistent effort throughout his career. His tactical innovations in race-riding became a blueprint for contemporaries and successors, helping to increase the international popularity of British flat racing through the 1960s and 1970s.
Classic Victories and Professional Transitions
Piggott's Derby streak began in 1954 with Never Say Die and concluded in 1983 with Teenoso. His tenure as stable jockey included high-profile associations with trainers Noel Murless and Vincent O'Brien. Following a professional separation from Henry Cecil at Warren Place in 1984, he successfully pursued a freelance career, recording major victories on horses including Shadeed and Commanche Run.
Training, Legal Proceedings, and Retirement
Upon his initial retirement as a jockey in 1985, Piggott pivoted to training at his Eve Lodge stables. This phase was interrupted in 1987 by a conviction for tax fraud, resulting in a prison sentence of over one year and the revocation of his OBE. Returning to the saddle in 1990 at age 55, he won the Breeders' Cup Mile on Royal Academy, maintaining an active riding schedule until 1995.
Fast facts
- Born: 5 November 1935, Wantage
- Died: 29 May 2022, Geneva
- Epsom Derby Wins: 9
- Career Flat Wins (Britain): 4,493
- Professional Titles: British Champion Jockey
- First Race Win: 1948, Haydock Park
- Last Professional Ride: 5 November 1994
- Citizenship: United Kingdom
Questions readers ask
What record did Lester Piggott hold at the Epsom Derby?
Piggott holds the record for the most victories in the Epsom Derby, having won the race nine times.
Why was Lester Piggott sentenced to prison in 1987?
He was convicted of tax fraud, receiving a three-year sentence of which he served just over one year.
