Lester Piggott

English jockey widely regarded as one of the greatest flat racing riders in history, known for his distinctive riding style and record Derby wins

Born in Wantage, Berkshire in 1935, Lester Keith Piggott emerged from a distinguished racing family. His father Keith was a successful National Hunt jockey, while his grandfather Ernest Piggott had been a leading rider in the early 20th century. This hereditary connection to the turf provided Piggott with an early introduction to racing, and he rode his first winner at age 12 in 1948 aboard The Chase at Haydock Park, making him one of the youngest jockeys ever to achieve victory on the Flat. Piggott's career flourished through the 1950s and reached its zenith during the 1960s and 1970s. He claimed his first jockeys' championship in 1960 and went on to secure the title eleven times between 1960 and 1982. His partnership with trainer Vincent O'Brien proved particularly fruitful, yielding multiple Classic victories. Piggott's riding style was distinctive and highly effective—his tall frame for a jockey, combined with his unique crouched position and tactical acumen, made him formidable in big-race situations. The defining achievement of Piggott's career was his record nine victories in the Epsom Derby, spanning from 1954 to 1983. His Derby winners included Never Say Die, Crepello, St. Paddy, Sir Ivor, Nijinsky, Roberto, Empery, The Minstrel, and Teenoso. This tally represented the most Derby wins by any jockey in the 20th century. Across his career, he accumulated over 5,300 victories and 30 English Classic wins, establishing himself as flat racing's most successful jockey. Despite a prison sentence for tax evasion in 1987-88 and the temporary loss of his OBE, Piggott demonstrated remarkable resilience by returning to racing in 1990 at age 54. His comeback victory in the Breeders' Cup Mile aboard Royal Academy epitomized his enduring class. Widely regarded as the most technically gifted flat race jockey in British racing history, Piggott's legacy endures through his unmatched big-race record and his transformation of race-riding technique.

Aggressive forward-style riding with exceptional racecraft

Greatest flat racing jockey of all time with 4,493 winners

• Epsom Derby 9x
• Champion Jockey 11x
• 2,000 Guineas 5x