Piggott stays in hospital for tests
Lester Piggott is expected to remain in hospital in London for “the next few days” after being admitted over the weekend.
One of racing’s all-time great jockeys having ridden 4,449 domestic winners, which included 30 Classic victories, Piggott, 83, is undergoing tests while doctors monitor his condition, according to his daughter Maureen Haggas, wife of Classic-winning trainer William Haggas, who described him as “in good shape”. Speaking yesterday afternoon, Haggas said: “He’s in hospital having tests and he’s going to be there for the next few days while those continue.”
Piggott – who had a spell in intensive care in a Swiss hospital in 2007 with a heart complaint – won the Derby a remarkable nine times and was associated with many equine greats.
Jockey Nico de Boinville heaped praise on officials at Haydock Park yesterday after steering Mr Whipped to victory.
The track drew criticism over the height and stiffness of the fences at last month’s Betfair Chase meeting after six horses fell and another unseated its rider. One of those fallers was the Nicky Henderson-trained River Wylde, who suffered a heavy fall with De Boinville at the final fence. His stablemate Might Bite disappointed in the Betfair Chase later in the afternoon, after which Henderson said: “They have built us some big fences, it’s not the first one of mine that has been caught out.”
De Boinville told Racing UK: “On behalf of myself, the guv’nor [Henderson] and our owners, I’d like to thank Haydock and say they’ve done a fantastic job. They’ve cut the fences down. They’re still formidable and take a bit of jumping, but they’ve thinned them out and there’s a bit of give in there.”