In the saddle
MY RACING correspondent, Captain Threadneedle, writes: The Ebor meeting at York is buzzing with reports of a blonde in foal to Lester Piggott. Students of blood- stock note that the great jockey comes from a famous racing family, and can trace his pedigree back through the Rickabies, Pig- gotts and Cannons to Honest John Day of Danebury, who trained for Lord George Bentinck (`The Derby? It is the blue ribbon of the turf). They contrast him with the classic winner Zafonic, who, after an unsat- isfactory race at Goodwood, has now retired to stud at the age of three. Why, they ask, should Lester, who is 55 years older, still have to be out on the racecourse in all weathers? Horses should work harder for longer, and jockeys should be passing on their qualities to future generations. Proposals for syndicating their services are being discussed in York's champagne bar, though in Lester's case the money would obviously have to be right.
Previous page
