Lester Piggott – a miracle-making Scorpio ++ harmonics

One of the all-time racing greats, a favourite of the Queen and housewives round the country, jockey Lester Piggott has died aged 86. He won the Derby a record nine times, 30 British Classic races and had 4,493 winners overall from his first victory aged 12. Tall for a rider in flat racing at 5ft 8 inches, he spent much of his career on a punishing diet, heavy on champagne, cigars and constant saunas to keep his weight down to 8 st 5 lbs – about 30 lbs (14 kg) under his normal weight.