The New York Times published a piece about Lester Piggott in 1985, marking what proved to be only the first of the great man’s retirements. Reflecting on his accumulation of fans over the previous three decades, the paper declared: “They’d bet Piggott no matter what the odds on his horses were. In Britain, where one can hardly pass a bellhop or chambermaid or housewife who doesn’t have at least a few quid on a nag with their local turf accountant, Piggott became an idol of huge proportion.”
One can only guess at the sheer number of bellhops whose gambling habits were familiar to the author. Still, there is not much doubt that Piggott, who has died aged 86, was an overwhelming favourite with casual gamblers for much of his career, and it became habitual for journalists to call him “the housewives’ choice”, particularly in the build-up to the Derby.
