The long fellow — nine Epsom Derby wins and the most celebrated flat jockey in British racing history.
Lester Keith Piggott was born in Wantage, Berkshire in 1935. He won the Epsom Derby nine times — the most in the 20th century. He was champion jockey eleven times. He served a year in prison for tax evasion in 1987. He made a comeback at 54 in 1990, winning the Breeders' Cup Mile on Royal Academy in only his fifth ride. He was stripped of his OBE following his imprisonment but it was restored in 1997. He won 5,300 races across a career spanning five decades. He was considered cold, ruthless and brilliant — the most technically skilled flat race jockey in British history.
Most successful Epsom Derby jockey with 9 wins
How They Played
Aggressive forward-style riding with exceptional racecraft
Lasting Impact
Greatest flat racing jockey of all time with 4,493 winners
Epsom Derby 9x
Career Honours
- Epsom Derby 9x
- Champion Jockey 11x
- 2,000 Guineas 5x