I lost one of my favourite idols and heroes.
The man was a legend and thank you for many incredible performances.
Racing Post
Racing has lost one of the biggest names in the sport's history following the death of Lester Piggott at the age of 86.
He was known throughout the world after a hugely successful riding career that lasted the best part of 50 years and remained Britain's most famous jockey long after he quit the saddle.
That was in part due to the longevity that allowed him to ride a phenomenal 4,493 winners, the third highest tally in British racing history behind only Sir Gordon Richards and Pat Eddery, and an amazing big-race haul. He won the Derby a record nine times, including on 1970 Triple Crown winner Nijinsky.
And it also owed something to the way a man nicknamed 'The Long Fellow' and was 5ft 8in tall fought to ride at 30lb below his natural bodyweight and his uncanny knack of getting out of trouble on and off course, most famously when he returned from retirement and a spell in prison to win the Breeders' Cup Mile on Royal Academy at the age of 54 in 1990.
Piggott was as well bred for the job as the choice horses he rode. His grandfather Ernie rode three Grand National winners and father Keith won the Champion Hurdle as a jockey and the National as a trainer.
He rode his first winner at the age of just 12, on The Chase at Haydock in 1948, and the dual champion apprentice won his first Derby at 18 on Never Say Die in 1954.
Piggott was champion jockey 11 times between 1960 and 1982 and scored a record 30 British Classic wins, many for legendary Irish trainer Vincent O'Brien.
Having initially retired in 1985, his training career was cut short by the conviction for tax fraud that earned him a year in prison, and he rode on for another four seasons after his shock return to the saddle.
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