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05 Nov 18
01:30
Joined:
Date Joined:
28 May 10
83 today!
Birthday greetings to possibly the greatest horseman and jockey ever, and certainly of my lifetime, the great SIR Lester Piggott. Anyone who ever saw him ride will still treasure the memory. He wasted away for 35-40 years of his life, to do 8st 6lbs, when his body should have weighed about 10 stone. You young 'uns think on that when you look up his achievements and record on wiki!
They should give this man his knighthood back. Let’s be fair, what did he do but look after his money and avoid tax, just like her majesty the Queen, who herself stashed millions away in an off-seas account. They didn’t take her title off of her did they?!
Many thanks for all the memories Lester. I hope you are still well and enjoying life.
Birthday greetings to possibly the greatest horseman and jockey ever, and certainly of my lifetime, the great SIR Lester Piggott. Anyone who ever saw him ride will still treasure the memory. He wasted away for 35-40 years of his life, to do 8st 6lbs, when his body should have weighed about 10 stone. You young 'uns think on that when you look up his achievements and record on wiki!
They should give this man his knighthood back. Let’s be fair, what did he do but look after his money and avoid tax, just like her majesty the Queen, who herself stashed millions away in an off-seas account. They didn’t take her title off of her did they?!
Many thanks for all the memories Lester. I hope you are still well and enjoying life.
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LoyalHoncho: Piggott was never knighted. It was an OBE that was taken from him.
A real one off. That Breeders Cup win on Royal Academy was the ultimate display of his ability.
Happy Birthday Lester.
An image engraved on my brain is of Lester riding Gladness to win The Ebor in 1958 (I was a young fella at the time!!) ...
He came to the furlong pole with his backside high in the air, looking disdainfully right and then left before cruising to (I think) a five length victory.
Of course, as my forum name indicates, I was a big fan of his long before that.
Like the real greats in other sports (Tiger Woods for example) the likes of Lester do not come along very often ....
An image engraved on my brain is of Lester riding Gladness to win The Ebor in 1958 (I was a young fella at the time!!) ...
He came to the furlong pole with his backside high in the air, looking disdainfully right and then left before cruising to (I think) a five length victory.
Of course, as my forum name indicates, I was a big fan of his long before that.
Like the real greats in other sports (Tiger Woods for example) the likes of Lester do not come along very often ....
My Hero…I was drawn next to him at Windsor in my very short riding career and I thought if I Die Tomorrow I will Die a Happy Man....Happy Birthday Lester.
The best there as ever been, the best there will ever be, very happy birthday Lester.
2 daughters and a son. Think he took the whip fron Alan Lequeux (may not be correct spelling).
Knew he had 2 daughters didn't know he had a son.Not sure if Maureen as any children.Love the story he told about the yank he jocked off commanche run and playing tennis.
Think he should get his knighthood back for sure.
saxon........thought he was knighted.Well he should be knighted now then.
A disgrace not only that he wasn't knighted but stripped of his OBE.
I'm not condoning his act of tax evasion but the financial world is awash with far more dubious characters, aka Philip Green to name one who continue to live as 'Sir'.
On a different note, i didn't know until recently that Lester now resides in Switzerland.
I'm not condoning his act of tax evasion but the financial world is awash with far more dubious characters, aka Philip Green to name one who continue to live as 'Sir'.
On a different note, i didn't know until recently that Lester now resides in Switzerland.
Agree AIS and I didn't know still today that Lester had a heart attack at 72. Birthday greetings to one of the greats.
Son obviously not out of Susan.
There was once a fantastic private eye cover showing the queen ringing Lester to ask his advice on tax evasion !
There was once a fantastic private eye cover showing the queen ringing Lester to ask his advice on tax evasion !
I never understood the need to send people to prison for financial crimes.
Does it not cost about £100k a year or something to keep someone locked up?
Lester when found guilty should have been fined, a massive amount obviously and ordered to pay the tax as well.
Which is what happened in the ken dodd case which occurred around the same time.
Only Mr Dodd put on a bravura performance in the theatre of the court which is supposed to have impressed the judge..
Lester with his speech impediment, was at the mercy of the british justice system.
Then as now it chose to persecute those who are different.
Anyway Happy birthday to the great man
Does it not cost about £100k a year or something to keep someone locked up?
Lester when found guilty should have been fined, a massive amount obviously and ordered to pay the tax as well.
Which is what happened in the ken dodd case which occurred around the same time.
Only Mr Dodd put on a bravura performance in the theatre of the court which is supposed to have impressed the judge..
Lester with his speech impediment, was at the mercy of the british justice system.
Then as now it chose to persecute those who are different.
Anyway Happy birthday to the great man
My uncle named his son lester after Piggott and his surname was Richards.So he was lester Richards.
famous for nicking rides in big races and meaness but a very very hard and great jockey
You got it all in a few words isleham. Little point looking at the man but I've been waiting for a jockey as good since I was a little lad in the 60's. Still waiting though Fallon went close.
My favourite Derby was the Minstrel beating Hot Grove. I didn't mind which won as I'D backed both and had the Forecast.
you might say he was ahead of his time with regards tax avoidance, his crime would barely get a mention today. Happy Birthday to a true legend of the game.
83 today, amazing he rode his first winner back in 1948 when he was 12, enjoying his retirement now living near Lake Geneva.
He rode horses like he was part of them and we may never see the like him again.
Even when he spoke with that lisp you listened hard to every word he said because he knew what he was talking about.
He told owners exactly what he thought of their horse and didn’t mince his words.
Careful with his money was legendary, he once made the mistake of writing to all the owners for his riding fees to be paid in cash (to avoid Tax).
One of them was Sir Howard de Walden (a steward of the Jockey Club) but his friends in high places got him out of trouble there.
He was too tight to pay an Accountant.
He would have got away with the Tax evasion but he paid them what they eventually asked for with a cheque from the Account they were looking for.
That’s why he went to prison.
Even when he spoke with that lisp you listened hard to every word he said because he knew what he was talking about.
He told owners exactly what he thought of their horse and didn’t mince his words.
Careful with his money was legendary, he once made the mistake of writing to all the owners for his riding fees to be paid in cash (to avoid Tax).
One of them was Sir Howard de Walden (a steward of the Jockey Club) but his friends in high places got him out of trouble there.
He was too tight to pay an Accountant.
He would have got away with the Tax evasion but he paid them what they eventually asked for with a cheque from the Account they were looking for.
That’s why he went to prison.
I was 14 when he rode his first winner. I remember the day well as I was fishing with a friend and I fell into the pond. The next morning the BBC radio news had an item about his win (but not my near death experience :-)) I was already backing horses with a friend at school who put our bets on with his Grannies ones with a street bookie.
VO'B didnt like him to ride work as he rode them hard to find out their ability at home before visiying the track..allegedly
Vincent also said that a jockey's place was on the track and not on the gallops.
I loved it when a racing journalist asked him, ''At which point did you think you'd win ?''.
God replied, ''About 6 weeks ago''.
God replied, ''About 6 weeks ago''.
Dambuster,
^^^
Remember that interview and reply well.
I wonder if any Owners on here have a photo of Lester riding their horse ?
I’m sure it would have pride of place over their mantelpiece.
The equivalent of the racing man’s Rembrandt.
^^^
Remember that interview and reply well.
I wonder if any Owners on here have a photo of Lester riding their horse ?
I’m sure it would have pride of place over their mantelpiece.
The equivalent of the racing man’s Rembrandt.
Took a girlfriend to Ascot one year on her 21st birthday, and afterwards when the jockeys were leaving we seen Lester Piggott, and she went up to him and told him it was her birthday and please would he sign her racecard, and he scribbled his autograph ....... and Geoff Lewis walked past and said, "Yer getting soft Lester !"
He rode a horse for an obscure trainer one day, the trainer was fuming with the ride Lester gave the horse and said.
''You'll never ride for me again'', to Which God replied, ''I might as well retire then''..
''You'll never ride for me again'', to Which God replied, ''I might as well retire then''..
Twelve days after his first ride back, Piggott landed his richest prize, the Breeders’ Cup Mile at New York’s Belmont Park, on the O’Brien-trained Royal Academy. John Reid, the horse’s regular jockey, had broken his collarbone. “That was a stroke of luck,” Piggott says. Reid will have thought otherwise.
i think it was Snowy Wainwright that comment was attributed to Dambuster for Lesters ride on Music Boy.
From jockeypedia website...................................
Snowy had earlier got on the wrong side of Lester Piggott.
Lester had been beaten on Music Boy - its only defeat in six outings - when trumped by Royal Boy the York Spring Meeting.
Snowy was outspoken at the time in his criticism of Lester's handling of the colt, considering that Lester had failed to make the best of Music Boy's most potent weapon, his blinding speed.
Snowy reportedly said to Lester after the race: 'You'll never ride for me again.'
Lester replied: 'Well, I might as well pack it in, then.'
Snowy had earlier got on the wrong side of Lester Piggott.
Lester had been beaten on Music Boy - its only defeat in six outings - when trumped by Royal Boy the York Spring Meeting.
Snowy was outspoken at the time in his criticism of Lester's handling of the colt, considering that Lester had failed to make the best of Music Boy's most potent weapon, his blinding speed.
Snowy reportedly said to Lester after the race: 'You'll never ride for me again.'
Lester replied: 'Well, I might as well pack it in, then.'
The word LEGEND(unwarranted) is banded about all too frequently nowadays for 1/2 decent sportsman, but certainly not in Lesters case.
I have a huge framed signed picture of Lester in Ardross silks, wishing me happy birthday, its going with me when I go!!
I loved it when a racing journalist asked him, ''At which point did you think you'd win ?''. God replied, ''About 6 weeks ago
The horse was the Bernard Van Cutsem trained Karabas in the 1969 Washington International.
He repled "2 weeks ago".
Sarcastic comedy at it's best.
He also won the same race on Sir Ivor the previous year.
The horse was the Bernard Van Cutsem trained Karabas in the 1969 Washington International.
He repled "2 weeks ago".
Sarcastic comedy at it's best.
He also won the same race on Sir Ivor the previous year.
Lester had a great ability to relax as soon as he had finished riding for the day. I recall watching (and backing ) him winning the last at Sandown one Saturday and having parked near the entrance I sprinted to the car to get away quickly for a long drive home. Lester managed to weigh in, get in a car and beat me to the ice cream shop at Hampton Court bridge. He signed my racecard before heading to Heathrow to ride in Paris next day and looked like a kid on holiday. A true one off.
Even in later years, i was at a midweek folkestone meeting , he rode a horse for (Simon Dow i think ) called Snow Blizzard, he won on it a couple of weeks earlier dictating the pace all the way,but in between it got beat when fav at kempton when ridden by Carson, the week after he rode it at folkestone and led all the way again like before ,and won even though it had much more weight, i said to him , whilst walking to our cars, that was as easy as last time you won on it, he said, i know, but don't tell Willie.. Don't know what he done but he was a genius
Good jockey, but no more than that.
As pointed out by sparrow, he rode plenty of stinkers.
As pointed out by sparrow, he rode plenty of stinkers.
Andrew.
I believe the curt reply after Karabas had won,
was a result of what happened the previous with Sir Ivor.
Even though he won the Derby,Sir Ivor was really a 10 furlong horse.
In the DC Lester dropped him out the back and rode him for speed.
When he got up late to win,Lester was bombasted by the press,who
said he was a 7lb penalty to a horse.
In them days the american jockeys rode from the gate and Lester
showed them how to ride a doubfull stayer.
When he came back and won the race again,they realised how good he was.
I believe the curt reply after Karabas had won,
was a result of what happened the previous with Sir Ivor.
Even though he won the Derby,Sir Ivor was really a 10 furlong horse.
In the DC Lester dropped him out the back and rode him for speed.
When he got up late to win,Lester was bombasted by the press,who
said he was a 7lb penalty to a horse.
In them days the american jockeys rode from the gate and Lester
showed them how to ride a doubfull stayer.
When he came back and won the race again,they realised how good he was.
He phoned Brian Rouse for a lift to Brighton one summer to save him money. It was a beautiful summers day and when leaving the course on the way back home, Lester says to Brian, "Take the second left 100yds up the road, there is a wee shop there that sells the best ice cream money can buy".
Brian does this. Lester returned and sat in the passenger seat licking this massive ice cream cone.
"ffs Lester", says Rouse, "I drive you all the way from Newmarket and back and don`t take a penny off you for petrol money and you come back with one F****** cone"!
Lester turns to Brian and says, "Sorry, I didn`t know that you liked ice cream"!
Brian does this. Lester returned and sat in the passenger seat licking this massive ice cream cone.
"ffs Lester", says Rouse, "I drive you all the way from Newmarket and back and don`t take a penny off you for petrol money and you come back with one F****** cone"!
Lester turns to Brian and says, "Sorry, I didn`t know that you liked ice cream"!
Dr Crippen 07 Nov 18 20:02
Good jockey, but no more than that.
As pointed out by sparrow, he rode plenty of stinkers.
Where did I say that, Dr Crippen? I merely repeated the Wainwright story which was not my opinion at all.
Good jockey, but no more than that.
As pointed out by sparrow, he rode plenty of stinkers.
Where did I say that, Dr Crippen? I merely repeated the Wainwright story which was not my opinion at all.
Nobody gets it right every time. Footballers miss open goals, cricketers get out for a duck without playing a shot, jockeys misjudge the pace or underestimate an opponent. If you ride like Lester often did and Richard Hughes did the same, they are riding for luck. It was interesting to hear the Hughes interview on Sunday when he was not even willing to discuss any "bad rides".
Nijinsky x3
The Minstrel x2
Ardross
Diesis?
i think
but got me with the black and white TMM @ Epsom looks a bit like Essa Alkhalifa colours from B & W ?
The Minstrel x2
Ardross
Diesis?
i think
but got me with the black and white TMM @ Epsom looks a bit like Essa Alkhalifa colours from B & W ?
Watched him ride a race at Yarmouth years ago and he was behind a wall of 4 horses entering the final furlong.
He stuck his horses head between 1&2 then 2&3 then 3&4 before finally coming on the outside to win by 2 lengths.
Just could not believed what I’d just witnessed. He was like a magician in the saddle.
He stuck his horses head between 1&2 then 2&3 then 3&4 before finally coming on the outside to win by 2 lengths.
Just could not believed what I’d just witnessed. He was like a magician in the saddle.
B&W photo is Roberto I think.
The coolest horseman we will ever see, just a pure genius. Even in his mid 50's he was utter class, his ride on Rodrigo de Triano in the 92 Guineas was just poetry
The coolest horseman we will ever see, just a pure genius. Even in his mid 50's he was utter class, his ride on Rodrigo de Triano in the 92 Guineas was just poetry
Well done geoff. Saritamer (another good horse associated with Lester) is right with Roberto beating Rheingold in Derby.
Had a £50 Anti-post win double on Roberto to win the Derby at 4/1 and Patricia's Hope at 16/1 to win the Greyhound Derby in 1972.
Cheers.
My fav Lester ride was Commanche Run in Benson & Hedges(Juddmonte) @ York on a proven stayer on a speed track beating the speedier types in Oh SO Sharp and Triptych.
Just kept winding it up in front .
Superb judgement of pace to keep upping the ante and drawing the turn of foot away from the 2 great fillies.
My fav Lester ride was Commanche Run in Benson & Hedges(Juddmonte) @ York on a proven stayer on a speed track beating the speedier types in Oh SO Sharp and Triptych.
Just kept winding it up in front .
Superb judgement of pace to keep upping the ante and drawing the turn of foot away from the 2 great fillies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMoGfpi914I
After this brilliant ride on Vacarme at Goodwood the stewards scandalously threw it out and the notoriously obnoxious Daniel Wildenstein said Lester would never ride any of his horses again. Someone with so little understanding of the game should never have been in it in the first place
After this brilliant ride on Vacarme at Goodwood the stewards scandalously threw it out and the notoriously obnoxious Daniel Wildenstein said Lester would never ride any of his horses again. Someone with so little understanding of the game should never have been in it in the first place
As pointed out by sparrow, he rode plenty of stinkers.
Sorry about that sparrow.
I find it nauseating the hero worship that's lavished on this good jockey.
He rode plenty of stinkers just like any other jockey, and rode plenty of races to perfection just the same as other jockeys do.
They're all only as good as the horses they ride.
Sorry about that sparrow.
I find it nauseating the hero worship that's lavished on this good jockey.
He rode plenty of stinkers just like any other jockey, and rode plenty of races to perfection just the same as other jockeys do.
They're all only as good as the horses they ride.
Lester's defence team tried to make out that he was not mentally 100% due bangs on the head from falls.
Dr Crippen, Imho you're wrong been hundreds of great jockeys in last 200 years but only a handful can be called legends and that goes for all sports. Pick a sport? Snooker Fred?Steve Davis legends but I know they went in off, Golf Jack Nicholas went in the water more than once, football Ronaldo missed sitters and a few penalties, tennis roger saw him miss a few last week does that mean he's average??
Happy Birthday long fella. Hope there is many more to come.
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