Rip Lester Piggot

[biggs682]

One of the nation's best loved sporting people

 

[Chris S]

Before he got caught!

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Before he got caught!

I don't think it made any difference, save for him not becoming Sir Lester.

 

[Smokin Joe]

The greatest jockey of all time, loved by the us punters and hated by the bookies.

Also noted for inventing self-assessment on tax returns, something the Inland Revenue objected to at the time and costing him a bit of time in the slammer.

 

[steveindenmark]

I don't think it made any difference, save for him not becoming Sir Lester.

I think it made a big difference. He certainly would have been knighted. Compared to some of the things celebrities did after him . His was a minor offence. Probably the best jockey of all time who thankfully had a good innings. RIP

 

[matiz]

Without a doubt the best jockey of all time, the only one who came close for me was
the American Steve Cauthen .

 

[OldShep]

I met him when I was aged around 10. Don’t suppose he remembered me though. 😊
He used to stay at my Grandmas when he rode Stockton races. She used to put up lads and jockeys long before there was racecourse accommodation for them.

 

[Chromatic]

Top quality jockey and a true household name.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Without a doubt the best jockey of all time, the only one who came close for me was
the American Steve Cauthen .

Why do you hold Cauthen in such high regard (interested, not argumentative btw)

 

[matiz]

Why do you hold Cauthen in such high regard (interested, not argumentative btw)

Cauthen came over from the states where they race mostly on dirt tracks, he had to adapt to the U.K. turf tracks which race left and right handed with difficult cambers on some uphill finishes or long run ins he mastered them all he was a great judge of pace and could win from the front or from off the pace, the top trainers and the punters loved him because he was always in the right place in a race.
And like Lester horses just seemed to run for him.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Not being a betting/horse racing type, the only race horses I could name are Nijinsky, Red Rum and Shergar. Without looking it up, I can vaguely remember that Lester Piggot won quite a few races on Nijinsky in the very early 1970's. Am I right?🤔

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Yes. 3 rather big ones in the same season, which hasn't been done since.

 

[stephec]

I've just read something that said his funeral is next Tuesday at 5/1.

 

[toffee]

Why do some people feel the need to celebrate a criminal?

He defrauded the country.

 

[Threevok]

Why do some people feel the need to celebrate a criminal?

He defrauded the country.

I don't see why not. Piers Morgan got his own show