Lester Piggott dies aged 86

Lester Piggott, who won the Derby a record nine times, has died aged 86. The Legendary English Jockey won 30 British Classic races in his career which yielded 4, 493 winners.

He also had 116 Royal Ascot victories and was named champion jockey 11 times between 1960 and 1982.

His son-in0law and Derby-winning trainer William Haggas said “ Sadly we can confirm that Lester died peacefully in Switzerland this morning”. Piggott was admitted to a hospital in Switzerland where he lived last week.

His first win came aged 12 at Haydock in 1948, and his last at the same track in 1994. He retired a deaf, won the Derby at Epson for the first time in 1945 abroad Never Say Die. His ninth win came on Teenoso in 1983.

He was jailed for three years in1987 after being found guilty of tax fraud of more than £3m, with a time of good behaviour, he served a year and a day in prison.

Nicknamed the Long Fellow, he was tall for a Flat Jockey at nearly 5 ft 6in and weighed as little at 8st 5lb. Piggott’s other Derby winners included Crepello, Sir Ivor, and The Minstrel. He also rode Nijinsky, the last horse to win the British Triple Crown – the 2000 Guineas, Derby, and St Leg4er in 1970. He came out of retirement only 12  days after for the second time in 1990, a 54-year-old Piggott guided Royal Academy to victory in one of the World’s richest races, the $1m Breeder’s Cup Mile.