R I P Lester Piggot

[Ken4155]

The saddest news for British horseracing fans.

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/horseracing/1617624/Lester-Piggott-dead-legendary-jockey-dies-at-the-age-of-86

[Ken4155]

And i do hope that, wherever he is right now, he forgives me for missing a 't' off the end of his name.

[choux]

Strangely enough I googles him last week, not having heards of him in the media for some while. Apparently he had been admitted to hospital and it didn't sound too hopeful for him, so I am not surprised at this news. RIP Lester.

[choux]

His diet in his racing days was coffee and cigars I recall.

[Ken4155]

Given how much and for how long he 'tortured' his body to keep his weight down, it's a surprise he reached such an age.

[choux]

Renowned for having the shortest stirrups if I recall correctly and at 5' 8" tall that was something.

[choux]

I also remember when he nearly lost an ear in the early days of starting stalls. My memory is working overtime today.

[Ellipsis]

RIP Lester, 5'8" and 8st 5 sometimes ... torture indeed.

[TantP]

He had a good life except when he went to prison for Tax fraud. 86 is a good age . I'm wondering if he was 'helped on his way' as I think he was suffering from a terminal illness and he died in a Swiss hospital. He was a good jockey and was lucky to spend his life doing something he loved.

[Ken4155]

TantP, don't you think he earned that 'good life' with his dedication to his sport. For years he kept his weight approx 30lb below what it ought to be for someone 5' 8" tall.
Also, your description of him as a 'good jockey' is quite an understatement. Many, many people much more qualified than i regard him as one of the greatest flat jockeys who ever sat astride a horse.

[TantP]

My comments were not meant to be derogatory towards him nor undermine his professional achievements.

[davebro]

It's quite sad as you get older to see your heroes die off. Many great sportsmen (& women), film stars, etc. M. Ali truly was the greatest!

[Togo]

R.I.P. Lester. One last "Stewards Enquiry" to negotiate. Not bad going for a useless deaf boy, the horses understood you though.

[david small]

Many a winner under your stewardship. RIP.

[novalis]

As students in London in the late 60s we used to do the 20 minute walk from our digs to the now closed Alexandra Park racecourse and there was a;ways an extra buzz when Lester Piggott was riding there.