Last weekend a statue of Lester Piggott was officially unveiled at the Curragh by his daughter Tracey, underlying deep and lengthy ties to Ireland built up by the legendary jockey during his stellar career.
Piggott requested the statue face the track on which he won 16 classic races including the Irish Derby five times. The last of those was on board Shergar in 1981 when he substituted for Walter Swinburn on the Michael Stoute-trained star. The first was on the Paddy Prendergast-trained Meadow Court, part owned by singer and actor Bing Crosby, who won in 1965.
However, it was with Vincent O’Brien that the most recognisable and successful jockey of the second half of the 20th century enjoyed his greatest successes, both in Ireland and around the globe.
Appropriately, Piggott’s first ride for the Irishman who would transform the world’s racing and breeding industries was a winner. Gladness landed the 1958 Ascot Gold Cup. O’Brien went on to supply Piggott with four of his nine Epsom Derby winners, Sir Ivor (1968), Nijinsky (1970) Roberto (1972) and The Minstrel in 1977.
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There was also back-to-back victories in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (1977-78) with the Robert Sangster owned Alleged.
O’Brien labelled Piggott “a genius”, and added “he must be the greatest jockey of his generation, or indeed any generation”.
The two men didn’t enjoy an always harmonious relationship and they split in 1980 when Pat Eddery took over as No. 1 jockey. When Eddery was beaten on El Gran Senor in the 1984 Derby, legend has it that Piggott walked past a stunned O’Brien and Sangster and muttered “missing me?”
But when Piggott shocked racing in 1990 with a comeback – five years after retirement and spending time in jail on tax offences – it was O’Brien who immediately supported him. After being granted a licence, Piggott rode four winners out of four rides for O’Brien at the Curragh.
Just over a week later at Belmont Park in New York, the two men combined for a fairytale outcome to the Breeders Cup Mile when Royal Academy won in thrilling style. Piggott described the result as “my greatest thrill ever”.
Throughout his career the Englishman was hugely popular in Ireland, his anti-authority image perhaps appealing to many here.
“He was a very likeable fellah, a very good friend of mine. Privately, you wouldn’t think it was the same fellah that was out on a horse,” veteran Curragh trainer Kevin Prendergast said on Sunday.
Prendergast’s father Paddy was one of Piggott’s biggest backers during the 1960s. “He came over mainly to ride for Dad and for Vincent – usually the best like the best,” he added.
The current master of Ballydoyle, Aidan O’Brien, said on Sunday: “I remember when we started training and Lester rode a filly for us called Far Fetched. It was such a big thing for us for Lester to come over to the Curragh to ride our filly. We’d never experienced any aura or presence around a person like that before. He was just one of those very special people.”
Former champion jockey Mick Kinane praised his former rival’s “unique style” in the saddle, and said Royal Academy’s unlikely Breeders Cup success suggested “he could really do anything”.
Piggott’s final Group 1 victory in Ireland came on board Lemon Souffle in the 1993 Moyglare Stud Stakes. That was two years before he finally retired from the saddle.
In the years afterwards he was regular visitor to Ireland. His daughter Tracy, who lives in Co Wicklow, is a well-known figure here having worked on RTÉ’s racing coverage for many years.
Piggott rode Curragh trainer Dermot Weld’s first classic winner when Blue Wind won the 1981 Epsom Oaks.
“He was the most gifted, talented rider we’ve possibly ever seen. His balance, strength and steely nerves were unmatchable. My condolences go to his family and to Maureen and Tracey (daughters). He always had a great love for Ireland, and he often conveyed that to me. He really enjoyed coming to ride in Ireland,” Weld said.
