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My first day at the races was at york in 1977. Alleged was a horse that very little was known of. He of course beat the derby runner up by ten lengths and then went on to win two arcs. I was so lucky to chose lester at his very best for my first racing day. Magical.
Lester took jockeyship to another level in the 60’s and 70’s. Simply the best.
My Dad (not interested in “Racing”) was only a child himself when living in or near the Berkshire village where Lester first came to the media’s attention. Thirty-sfive years later when I became obsessed with racing in the mid-eighties Lester had been going so long I didn’t expect him to be still at the top of his game. But Ardross, Teenoso and many more… even after coming back from retirement in the 90’s – Royal Harmony – all proved me wrong. Come the big day Lester could still turn it on with regularity.
In silence, he became a symbol to me personally, that someone with a speech impediment could reach the top of his profession.
Returning from the races Dad often asked how Lester had done. The greatest jockey transcended Racing and Sport. One of just a few in sport to be known by just his christian name.
Happy days.
RIP Lester.Value Is EverythingI think Lester was to racing
what Don Bradman was to cricket.
Head and shoulders above.Lester’s achievements on the racecourse speak for themselves. I always found him a somewhat inscrutable and mysterious figure, which somehow added to his aura of greatness. There was a touch of magic about him.
RIP Lester
Even as a kid who knew nothing about racing, you knew you were watching something special when you watched Lester.
RIP
Always smile at the story of Lester on his honeymoon and of him throwing a coin into the Trevi fountain. Legend had it he was back at two in the morning retrieving his sixpence!
What an lovely and insightful comment from Tracy Piggott
“He could walk into a room and you wouldn’t even hear him coming.
I think that’s why horses responded to him because he had that
quietness about him ”Genius, just a genius.
“The hardest thing to do sometimes is nothing at at all” as a jockey he seemed always to be in the right place and rarely was collared on the line , Carson said when interviewed that Piggott was the man end of
Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026
An immortal has left us.Lester’s saddle artistry touched depths of divinty.No jockey could extract more from his mount , posses judgement of pace,or deliver a knockout punch in the degree of Lester.No other jockey could have steered home Roberto and The Minstrel or possibly also Sr Ivor and Nijinsky to win the Derby or Alleged and Rheingold in the Arc De Triomphe and Ribero in the St Leger.No Jockey as much emulated Muhammad Ali in resurrecting like a phoenix from the Ashes.
Without hesitation in rating him the greatest jockey ever.
Lester was brilliant but let us keep a sense of perspective. I do not agree that no other jockey could have won the Derby on Nijinsky or the Arc on Alleged, for example.
The anniversary of Lester’s passing was on may 29th.
Brings to my mind an old workmate who idolised him to the extent he told everyone except his wife he’d name his first son after him.
When time came to choose names ahead of the imminent arrival, a girl’s name was agreed without any arguments.
When He declared Lester as his favoured boy’s Moniker his wife objected strenuously.
” Why can’t he have a nice name, not some sportsman?” ” how about the lad who played Oliver, I think his name is mark”. You said you liked him didn’t you?”
“Yes, I did ” He replied quick as a flash.
Unusually, they agreed without any further discussion….
The day arrived and a lad was born and soon after a trip to the registry office followed.
“So,” said the registrar “have you agreed on a name?” “Yes,” said the wife, “Mark”.
Just then, she had a call of nature, excused herself and left the room. Quick as a flash,
the husband said to the registrar, “yes, Mark.” “That’s his middle name we’re naming him after the lad who played Oliver, LESTER.”
And he got away with it too.The mark of all true greats, all you need to hear is the first name. I was one of many thousands present at Warwickk in May 1985, when he took on John Francome in a sponsored match race. It was by far the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen there – if you climbed up to the first floor of the stand there you stayed for the rest of the evening, as the all the stairs were packed tight with people.
Francome was his usual self, talking and joking with racegoers, but Lester stayed slightly aloof. Nobody minded,in fact it seemed quite natural. Lester didn’t have to make an effort, he had something that made him stand out, stand apart even – he had charisma. When Francome walked out of the weighing toom for their race, he was mobbed. But for Lester, the crowd parted like the Red Sea, much as you would have seen them do at Ascot for the Royal party.
Lester won the race, of course, accepted the cheers as he returned with a nod of the head, collected his trophy and away he went, all in a days work. But I’m willing to bet that most of those who were there, recall the evening and say ‘I saw Lester’ – and for one of the few times in his career, Francome played second fiddle!
I used to have a cutting of this interview from the 1970 Observer. Lost the damn thing, but The Guardian reran it here https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2005/nov/06/horseracing.theobserver
One of the best sports interviews I’ve read, even to this day 53 years on.
Joe,
Thanks for posting that, an absolutely fascinating read that tells you more about the mindset and approach of a jockey than anything I’ve ever heard from the numerous ex jockey pundits.
Thanks Alan. Kenneth Harris was a brilliant interviewer. One of his secrets was his memory: he took no notes and did not tape anything. I think that will have had been particularly important with Lester. The interview you read is also in a book. It moves up and down in price, but there’s a copy here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Talking-Best-Kenneth-Harris-Interviews/dp/029700235X
All the best.
Joe
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