Kieren Fallon: 'Lester was a genius - and like the mafia in the weighing room!'

Six-time champion Flat jockey Kieren Fallon described Lester Piggott as a "genius" and said racing had lost an icon as tributes continued to be made for the legendary rider on Monday.

Piggott died at the age of 86 in Switzerland on Sunday after a recent spell in hospital, with the great and good from the sport and beyond sharing their memories of the man nicknamed 'The Long Fellow'.

Fallon made the move from Ireland to Britain in 1987 and his earliest memory of Piggott involves the young rider giving away his all-important tactics for a race at Newbury.

Fallon said: "My first memory of Lester was when I was at Newbury and he popped into the stalls next to me. He asked me what I was doing, I told him 'I’m going to make the running, sir'. You can imagine as a young kid I couldn’t wait to tell him what I was going to do.

"He tracked me through the race and only got up to beat me on the line by a short head. He really educated me there."

So what was it like for Fallon as a young rider in Britain when Piggott was around in the weighing room?

He replied with a laugh: "You’d s*** yourself. You’d be afraid to even speak. I wasn’t like that with anyone else, but with Lester it was just different.

"He was a genius and a great of the sport for a reason. The top people in all sports have so much gifted ability and he was one of them. People looked up to him and he was an inspiration to the weighing room.

"He was a very private man but most of the riders were afraid of him – in a good way – just because he was Lester Piggott. He could tell you what to do – he was like the mafia of the weighing room!

"The numbers he recorded were incredible and won’t be matched again. It won’t happen and it’s good it won’t – Lester was simply unique."

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The Cazoo Derby was on Monday renamed in memory of Piggott for this Saturday’s running and Fallon, who won the race three times and will be in attendance this weekend, hopes it will be a celebration of the great rider’s life.

Fallon said: "Racing has lost an icon and it will be a sad week for the Derby – it was his week after all – but hopefully it can be a celebration of his life. He was at home at Epsom."

Three-time champion Flat jockey Richard Hughes says he tried his best to replicate Piggott’s polished style in the saddle for his whole career.

Hughes similarly shared the weighing room with Piggott when starting out and described him as "a very unique and brilliant man".

Richard Hughes: former jockey paid his tributes to Lester Piggott on MondayCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"I loved the way Lester rode and tried to replicate that my whole career," Hughes said. "I tried to copy him as best as I could, but I failed miserably. We all have our trademark styles, but the way I ended up riding, I wouldn't have ridden that way if it wasn’t for Lester.

"I remember he came back when I was starting to ride and that was a real bonus that I got to ride with him and be in the same weighing room. He was a brilliant man and very unique in every way."

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On Piggott’s return from retirement and a spell in prison in the early 1990s, Hughes added: "It was like God coming back into the weighing room. I don't know how you'd compare it nowadays, maybe Cristiano Ronaldo going back into the Manchester United dressing room. That is just how much respect everyone had for him.

"In Ireland, everyone appreciated him so much and he was a cult figure when he came over to the Curragh, everyone wanted a piece of him."

Richard Hills (right) and his brother Michael (left) saw Lester Piggott up close on the gallops as youngstersCredit: Edward Whitaker

Fellow former jockey Richard Hills shared his memories of Piggott, who won a record 30 British Classics, riding Rheingold at his father Barry’s yard before he won the Arc in 1973 – a morning Hills and his brother Michael will never forget.

Hills said: "Michael and I's first meeting with Lester was when he came down to ride Rheingold work at my Dad's yard before he won the Arc. Two 12-year-olds with Lester Piggott coming in to ride work was pretty awesome and my Dad had bought the yard off his father.

"Later I rode against him for only a couple of years, but I beat him in the Queen's Vase, which was my first Royal Ascot winner. I remember being more chuffed about beating Lester than having my first winner at the royal meeting. He was a legend.

"When he walked into the weighing room we all just looked at him in awe. If he came over to you, you told him where you were going to sit in the race and what you were going to do. Afterwards you'd think to yourself why did I do that? The reason was it was Lester Piggott."

'Horseracing owes Lester a huge debt of gratitude'

The Professional Jockeys Association issued the following tribute to Lester Piggott on Monday morning . . .

"Lester Piggott was a true icon of the sport whose name and impressive racing achievements are known, not only in this country but throughout the world. He carried an aura about him both on and off the track that no other jockey could emulate.

"His phenomenal riding record was achieved before Sunday or all-weather racing extended the season to its current level and without the benefit of travel and technology advances jockeys have today.

"Horseracing owes Lester a huge debt of gratitude, as indeed do all jockeys past and present. When Lester was riding at a meeting, thousands of fans attended – Lester didn’t need a marketing team or a business card. Ask any jockey riding or retired, beating Lester in a tight finish was an achievement, whether they managed it once or multiple times.

"Lester was one of the group of jockeys who founded the Flat Race Jockeys Association of Great Britain in 1966. He made ad hoc donations to the Association particularly in the early days when it was short of operating funds. He was also at the forefront in pushing the authorities for better conditions and expenses for jockeys, which included making representations to the Jockey Club in London.

"Lester was elected vice president of the Flat Race Jockeys Association from its inception and remained so when the Flat Racing and National Hunt Jockeys Associations amalgamated in 1969 and became The Jockeys Association of Great Britain Limited (JAGB).

"He was elected president of the JAGB in 1978 taking over the role from Robert Sangster and relinquished this role on his retirement in 1986. The JABG then rebranded in 2008 when the Professional Jockeys Association was formed."

"Lester showed great interest in the work of the Association and gave wise counsel. After his retirement he continued his support, donating memorabilia and attending functions, none more so than the annual jockeys’ award ceremony named after the great man.

"'The Lesters' were inaugurated in 1991 and he attended the event regularly, enjoying the adulation of his many fans. We plan to restart the popular event again in London early next year. Lester would no doubt approve.

"On behalf of the members of the Professional Jockeys Association past and present, we send our sincere condolences to Lester’s family and friends at this sad time. RIP Long Fellow."

Lester Piggott:

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

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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

'Lester went wrong way round a roundabout to pass me! No wonder he was champion'

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