Nine Derbys, 30 British Classics and winners worldwide - Lester by the numbers

Lester Piggott's greatness transcended statistics, but he accumulated some of the most important records for a British jockey, notably the most wins in a career, the most British Classics (30) and the most Derbys (nine).

Most wins in a career

Piggott won a career total of about 5,300 races throughout the world between 1948 and 1995, which is a record for a British jockey.

It is impossible to give a precise figure because, starting with a visit to Greece in 1952, he rode winners in more than 30 foreign countries and no-one, least of all the man himself, bothered to keep count. It is too late to go back now and check.

Piggott gained 4,493 of those victories on the Flat in Britain, and another 20 over hurdles. That puts him third to Sir Gordon Richards and Pat Eddery on the all-time list of jockeys who have won the most races in Britain.

Statistically, Richards was the greatest jockey the British Turf has ever known. He dominated his rivals during the so-called golden age of Flat jockeyship, and his records of 4,870 wins in a career (1921-54), 269 wins in a Flat season (1947), 26 championships, 12 double-centuries and 12 consecutive victories (in 1933) may stand for all time.

Nevertheless, he was a player on a purely domestic stage. He hardly ever rode abroad, never won an Irish Classic, and had a grand career total of three victories in France.

After Piggott’s retirement, Pat Eddery relegated him to third place in the all-time list in Britain, finishing with a score of 4,633. The Irishman was also champion 11 times but never dominated British racing to the same extent.

Although Piggott is the winningmost British jockey of all time, he is not the winningmost British-born jockey because that distinction belongs to John Longden.

Born in Wakefield, Longden became a Canadian, then US citizen, replaced Richards as the world’s most prolific winning jockey in 1956, and retired in 1966 having won 6,032 races. The current world record is 12,000-plus by Brazilian Jorge Ricardo.

Most Classic wins

Piggott won 30 British Classics between 1954 (Never Say Die’s Derby) and 1992 (Rodrigo De Triano’s 2,000 Guineas). It is his greatest record, and one that may stand for all time.

Those 30 victories came from 166 rides, and comprised nine in the Derby, eight in the St Leger, six in the Oaks, five in the 2,000 Guineas, and two in the 1,000 Guineas. His most productive Classic partnerships were with trainers Vincent O’Brien (nine wins) and Noel Murless (seven).

The previous Classic record was 27 by Frank Buckle between 1792 and 1827, the last two of them when he was 60. Piggott notched his record-breaking 28th British Classic victory on Commanche Run in the 1984 St Leger, and his last when he was 56.

Although Piggott is not the oldest jockey to ride a Classic winner, he holds the record for the longest span of Classic victories. The 38 years between his first and last wins beat the previous record of 36 years (1807-43) by Sam Chifney jnr.

With the benefit of hindsight, if Piggott had played his cards right his Classic score might have exceeded 40.

He missed the winning ride on Petite Etoile in the 1959 1,000 Guineas by preferring her stablemate Collyria, and he could also have triumphed on Psidium, Kashmir, High Top, Nonoalco, Bruni, On The House, Midway Lady (twice) and others.

More significantly, if he had delayed his split with Noel Murless he would have won the first three Classics of 1967 on Royal Palace and Fleet; if he had done the same with Vincent O’Brien he would have scored on Golden Fleece, Lomond, and El Gran Senor; and if his problems with Daniel Wildenstein had allowed him to stay with Henry Cecil, he would have partnered Oh So Sharp and Slip Anchor.

He would also have won on unlucky losers Ribofilio and Rose Bowl had he ridden them differently.

On the other hand, he got the ride on at least four of his Classic winners via a jocking-off – Roberto (Bill Williamson), Empery (Bill Pyers), Blue Wind (Wally Swinburn snr) and Commanche Run (Darrel McHargue).

Most Derby wins

The master of Epsom won the Derby nine times from 36 rides between 1954 (Never Say Die) and 1983 (Teenoso), his record-breaking seventh winner being Empery in 1976. The previous record of six was held by Jem Robinson (1817-36) and Steve Donoghue (1915-25).

He also went close to winning the Derby as a breeder, as he bred Cavo Doro and rode him into second place in 1973, beaten half a length by Morston.

Most wins in other races

Piggott won a record 116 races at Royal Ascot between 1952 (Malka’s Boy, Wokingham) and 1993 (College Chapel, Cork and Orrery Stakes).

Among them were a record 11 Ascot Gold Cups between 1957 (Zarathustra) and 1982 (Ardross), easily beating the jockeys’ record of six wins in the race by Jem Robinson and his own great-grandfather, Tom Cannon.

He also won the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes a record seven times between 1965 (Meadow Court) and 1984 (Teenoso), having been runner-up on Zucchero in the inaugural running in 1951 at the age of 15.

His records for the most victories in other top races include ten July Cups, nine Coronation Cups, seven Eclipse Stakes, and seven Nunthorpe Stakes.

Greatest rides

It was almost inevitable that when we conducted a poll of Racing Post readers in 2007 to determine the 100 Greatest Rides of all time, Piggott was the jockey represented by the most rides – eight. Next were McCoy and Dettori with five each.

No.2 on the list was the 54-year-old’s Breeders’ Cup Mile win on Royal Academy in 1990, beaten only by Fred Winter’s epic victory on Mandarin in the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris.

His other entries in the top ten were The Minstrel in the 1977 Derby (No.8) and Roberto in the 1972 Derby (No.9).

Greatest jockey?

By common consent, Lester Keith Piggott ranks with Fred Archer and Sir Gordon Richards as one of Britain’s top three Flat jockeys, although to argue he was the greatest jockey of all time would betray absurd insularity as well as ignorance of history.

Foreign champions Eddie Arcaro, Bill Shoemaker, George Moore and Yves Saint-Martin would enter the argument, as would several jump jockeys.

In 2003 Racing Post readers voted him the second-greatest racing figure of all time, behind only Vincent O’Brien. Whatever Piggott’s exact rank in the jockeys’ pantheon, he excelled at displays of both utmost finesse, as when nursing home Ribero in the St Leger, and brute force, as in Roberto’s Derby.

The sport’s pre-eminent figure for a quarter of a century, he had a matchless big-race temperament and was a true master of his profession.

Lester Piggott:

Lester Piggott, legendary jockey and nine-time Derby winner, dies aged 86

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In his own words: 'It was quite a bad punishment, wasn't it? It was almost inhumane'

Lester Piggott Q&A: a brilliant interview with the record-breaking champion

Appreciation: 'His cut-throat mentality was unmatched in the history of the turf'

'He was my idol growing up' - Mick Kinane on his admiration for Lester Piggott

Aidan O'Brien: 'Incredible man' Lester Piggott left unbelievable mark on us all

Racecourse brilliance and quieter moments: Lester Piggott in photographs

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