Daily Racing Thread Sunday 29th. May 2022

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Can only echo those sentiments attivo - most of his achievements were before my interest in racing but his return after prison and that Breeders Cup win will live long in the memory. RIP <rose>
 
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rudebwoy said:
full card of jumps , wonder if this is possible in the winter as well <laugh>
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In a normal year, this would be Whitsun weekend and tomorrow would be a bank holiday; however, this year Whitsun is a week late (next Sunday) because it is seven weeks after Easter so they move together; and the bank holiday has been purloined for Liz’s Jubilee this week. So the Zetland Gold Cup is still tomorrow at Redcar but Cartmel’s bank holiday meeting will be relying on people on half term with their kids and regular older patrons.
 
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A great jockey, possibly the greatest (but a few Gordon Richard's fans may argue with this). Had so many fine rides. No-one who saw it will ever forget his Roberto Derby win. Also a man of humour, though the driest. Once Jeremy Tree asked him what he should say as he'd accepted an invitation to address his old (public) school. Lester just replied 'tell them you've got the flu'.

Strange that 3 of the prominent jockeys of my youth should all die within about a year of each other, and all at the age of 86.

A sad day that one of the Royalty of the Turf has died.
 
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Yes, indeed, a truly great jockey, with a mind of his own. One of his truly great rides was in the "1990 Mile" on Royal Academy at Belmont Park, a riding performance that I will never forget. He really did answer those American racing journalists who had been on his back since his ride on Sir Ivor in the Washington International several years before. They were too dumb to understand that Lester had to 'take-care' of Sir Ivor in the atrocious conditions prevailing on that day.

RIP Lester, you were great, and thanks for the memories. We will miss you. <peacedove>

Legendary Lester Piggott amazing ride on Royal Academy the 1990 Mile - YouTube
 
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Slim pickings for us flat followers today with the main interest over at Longchamp with three six runner fields for the pattern races.

In the Prix Du Palais-Royal, the old boy Duhail has been running the same race for the last couple of seasons and it is difficult to make a case for him coming good this afternoon when Fabre also runs the Godolphin colt Egot that won at this level last October but over a furlong less. Axdavali won a conditions race over course and distance last time and was second in the Prix Du Pin on Arc Trials day last year so he may be overpriced. Most of the interest will be in the two three year olds but Accakaba’s fourth in the Prix Jean Luc Lagardere (blanket finish) and third in the Prix Imprudence (behind Malavath and Zellie) do not read so well; and obviously Malavath subsequently never went a yard in the 1000 Guineas. That leads me to last year’s Prix Maurice de Gheest winner Marianafoot, who won this race last year and has taken the same route but won the two prep races in 2021 whilst last time out he was behind Egot in a blanket finish for a race that he won in 2021.

The main trial for the Prix De Diane is the Prix Saint Alary, where Wild Beauty tries to get back on track after her no-show in the 1000 Guineas and has had blinkers applied. Joseph O’Brien sends Above The Curve over after her second in the Cheshire Oaks where she was just pipped by one of his father’s fillies; and drops back to ten furlongs today. The Jean Claude Rouget filly Sippinsoda could be anything having won a little race at Lyon last time following two juvenile wins on the sand but I am most drawn to Andre Fabre’s Lope De Vega filly PLACE DU CARROUSEL who won the Prix Cleopatre over this trip at Saint Cloud last time.

The Prix D’Ispahan looks like a Group 1 race in name only. Ed Walker’s Dreamloper won the Dahlia at HQ on Guineas weekend but that form has been let down a couple of times and she would need a career best today. The first Francis-Henri Graffard runner Dilawar looks like a Group 2/3 performer in the Aga Khan’s colours and five year old Dawn Intello runs consistently at Group 2/3 level but a couple of these have form lines with him such as Prix Exbury winner Pretty Tiger. Pia Brandt’s colt (has moved from Fabrice Vermeulen) is arguably the form pick as he was second in the Prix Ganay with SEALIWAY third; however, that form was let down by the winner State Of Rest last week in Ireland. SEALIWAY did win the Champion Stakes in 2021 (making him the only Group 1 winner in the field) so I see him reversing the short head he was behind Pretty Tiger to take his Group 1 tally to two.
 
First time poster on this board, just a shame it's because of Lester passing.
Just watching the Derby win on The Minstrel. Other jockeys wouldn't have won that day.
I'm genuinely saddened by his death.
 
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Other Lester stories:-

Re. SwanHills comment. After being rubbished by American Journalists after winning the 1968 Laurel International he came back the next year and won it again on Karabas. When asked by journalists when he thought he had the race won his only reply was 'about 2 weeks ago'.

Geoff Lewis was surprised to read in the paper that he'd been replaced by Piggott on a Henry Cecil horse he'd contracted to ride. He rang up Cecil and Henry said that Lester had rung him up and told him that he, Lewis, was riding at Nottingham, to which Lewis said 'but Nottingham is a jumps meeting!'.
 
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RIP Lester. I bit young to appreciate him in his pomp but have seen him at the races a few times over the years. I’ve even had a go on his equisisor at the horse racing museum in Newmarket, I’ve also been to jersey a few times and I know that’s where he banked, so I considered him a friend.
Joe Wright rode for us at Dingley yesterday and was hot footing it back to Kelso for a ride in the 5.10 on point the way which he fancied. Nice guy who knew what he was doing and rode our horse into third place which we were happy with. He also rode a nice 4 year old Workforce gelding into second place on only its second start.
 
Bustino74 said:
Other Lester stories:-
Re. SwanHills comment. After being rubbished by American Journalists after winning the 1968 Laurel International he came back the next year and won it again on Karabas. When asked by journalists when he thought he had the race won his only reply was 'about 2 weeks ago'.
Geoff Lewis was surprised to read in the paper that he'd been replaced by Piggott on a Henry Cecil horse he'd contracted to ride. He rang up Cecil and Henry said that Lester had rung him up and told him that he, Lewis, was riding at Nottingham, to which Lewis said 'but Nottingham is a jumps meeting!'.
Click to expand...

There are many anecdotes about Lester's sense of humour, often quite dry. Here's one I like which happened during his unfortunate spell in the slammer for tax evasion:

Lester's wife went to visit him in prison and he gave her the name of a horse and told her to back it for him. When she asked if he wanted to pay the tax on his stake, he replied: "No don't bother love, I'll just do another week in here"
 
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Although many would rate The Minstrel or Roberto as Lester’s greatest ride, for me it was his defeat of previous year’s Guineas winner, Only For Life, when riding Royal Avenue in the John Porter Stakes at Newbury.
Lester waited in front, looked as though he was under pressure, but suddenly he darted clear into the last two furlongs. Jimmy Lindley stoked Only For Life into action but, although he finished fast, Lester had caught him napping and just held on.
The look on Lindley’s face said everything as they entered the unsaddling enclosure. Masterful.
 
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In his autobiography Peter Walwyn tells of a ride Piggott gave to a filly he trained. Piggott had noticed that this outsider didn't have a pilot in the Sp Life so rang up for the ride. When it came to the race she won by 12 lengths. He met his excited owner-breeder and Walwyn, and when asked what did he think replied 'get rid of her, she's a ****'.

Can't say I met him, but did chance upon him twice. The first time was in Johannesburg in about 1980/1. He was over to ride in an Invitation race and he was out walking with Ronnie Corbett. I asked for his autograph, which as I only had a cheque book on me I got him to sign that. He was good natured and said should I make it opay me?
The second time was about 2005, when I'd gone down for the 2000G. As we had time to kill I visited the horseracing museum which was then on the High Street. It was a quiet day and when I went into the jockey's section noticed one of those practice horses. The lady in that section asked if I'd like to try, and stupidly I did. She told me how to properly hold the reins and how to place my foot in the stirrups the way Frankie had introduced. I then made a fool of myself (being over 6ft didn't help) and stopped and grinned at my wife, only to see Lester over her shoulder. He too was grinning. He then gestured to his son to follow me on and he gave a masterclass.
 
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