Lester Piggott and Frankel Join Flat Racing Hall of Fame
The record-breaking jockey, Lester Piggott, and the unbeaten racehorse, Frankel, have become the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame’s first members.
The QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame was launched to honour 10 years of sponsorship of the series. It is the first Hall of Fame for British flat racing, and it will pay tribute to two- and four-legged champions of the sport who achieved exceptional results from 1970 onward.
Lester Piggott comes from a long line of jockeys and trainers. He won his first race in 1948, at the age of 12. By his teens, Piggott was already a well-known name in the racing world. In 1985, he concluded his career as a jockey with 4,493 wins under his belt, including nine Epsom Derby victories. Due to him being unusually tall for a flat jockey, Piggott acquired a nickname: “The Long Fellow”.
The retired jockey was inducted into the Hall of Fame from afar as he is currently living in Switzerland and could not travel to receive his medal in person due to the ongoing pandemic.
“I feel fortunate to have spent many brilliant years riding such incredible horses, and I’m touched to see my story so well preserved through this initiative. The Hall of Fame is a terrific concept and something that racing has deserved for so many years. Our sport has such an incredible history, and I hope that this provides an opportunity for many others to learn about it,” said Piggott.
Frankel was sired by Galileo – an outstanding horse who ran eight times and won 6 races. His dam, Kind, was a half-sister to the two-time Arlington Million winner, Powerscourt.
During his fourteen-race career, this champion named after the famous American trainer Robert J. Frankel didn’t lose once. From May 2011, Frankel was the highest-rated racehorse in the world, which made him a sure bet option on numerous betting sites until he was retired in October 2012.
“I’m pleased that Frankel’s unblemished career has been acknowledged by the new Hall of Fame initiative, and I’m especially delighted that he is the first racehorse to be given the accolade. I will always fondly remember the moments I spent with him,” said Tom Queally, Frankel’s former jockey.