I remember him from 1970. The horse won the Great Metropolitan that year as, I believe, a 4-y-o. He started 5/2 or thereabouts and obliged comfortably. If memory serves in the same season Hills had Golden Monad, winner of the Dee Stakes and maybe a couple of other decent races. You'll probably recall that Bill Williamson was originally down to ride Roberto but his owner John Galbraith wanted Lester so Williamson lost the ride. There was some unfavourable press for Piggott but I don't think he asked for the mount (not on this occasion, anyway)) so no blame attaches to him. My small investment was on Rheingold that day and, with respect to Ernie Johnson, I'm totally convinced that Lester would have won on either horse.
Big Dipper Your comment interested me and I found out that not only did he win those handicaps (including the Grand Met: what was it run over then? 2m3f?) but he went on to be placed 2nd in the 1972 Goodwood Cup and to win the Prix Gladiateur over 20f that year as a 6yo. He was more important than I'd even remembered. I mostly remember him running in '69 and winning at places like Bath and Wolverhampton. As I said he improved horses.
Bustino, the Great Metropolitan would have been run over 18f at that time. I'm quoting from a course gazeteer that explains what happened to truncate the trip to 12f. It also describes the geography of the race.
That Spring Epsom meeting used to be special. You had the Grand Met, the City and Suburban Handicap: two good comepetitive handicaps and along with it the Blue Riband Trial, the Princess Elizabeth Stakes (both Guineas/Epsom Trials) + the Warren Stakes (another Derby Trial). Now it's a mucky little meeting with some of these races but the prestige gone.
As you mention Guineas Trials it might interest you to know (unless you already do) that in 1854 the 1,000 Guineas winner Virago had an interesting preparation for her classic. She took in both the City & Suburban (10f) and the Great Metropolitan (18f) at the April meeting followed by two more races at York later in the month (trip unknown) winning them all. I'm thinking of recommending these races as Guineas Trials to Godolphin et al. I also learn that Bend Or won the C&S at 4, and that Sefton won the same race in 1878 at 3 carrying 5st 8lb before going on to win the Derby. A very good American horse in Parole also came over here in 1879 and won both races, although to be fair he had but one opponent in the GM, the others having been frightened off by his presence in the field. It seems the further back you go the more prestigious these two races were, and I'm wondering how many other top class horses won, or even ran in, these events.
What a great post!! I'd never heard of any of that. I do know in 1960 that Noel Murless had St Paddy entered for a race called the Derby and the prestigious Zetland Gold Cup handicap. From memory he had 7stone 11lbs. He chose to run him in the former of course. How things have changed. Nowadays horses that show any 8-12f ability are wrapped in cotton wool and only entered for the top Group races.
