Legendary former Newmarket jockey Lester Piggott is currently in hospital in Switzerland.

His son-in-law William Haggas said the 86-year-old, who won the Derby nine times, was ‘battling a bit’, and was hopeful that he would pull through and return home as soon as possible.

He is married to Mr Piggott’s daughter Maureen, who he said was planning to go and see her father, along with the champion jockey’s son Jamie.

"All we can do is train plenty of winners and keep him amused, that's what we're trying to do.

"I don't think he thinks about what he's achieved, but he loves the adulation that he gets every time he steps out into a public place," Mr Haggas said.

The winner of 4,493 races, who is widely regarded as the greatest flat racing jockey of all time, was admitted to intensive care in 2007 due to a heart problem, but made a swift recovery.