Piggott 'could be home next week'

LEGENDARY jockey Lester Piggott could be out of hospital by next week, his family have said.

The sportsman is expected to make a full recovery from a recurrence of heart problems that put him in hospital while on holiday in Switzerland.

Mr Piggott was admitted to the hospital in Lausanne last week after suffering the health scare but it is hoped he could be allowed to return to his Newmarket home within days.

His daughter, Maureen Haggas, said: “He is making progress. He is going the right way but he is not leaping out of bed. It is going to take time.

“When he comes back he is going to have to take things easy. But the doctors are happy with him and we expect him to make a full recovery.”

The scare to Mr Piggott's health follows on from tests carried out West Suffolk Hospital over Christmas when the 71-year-old complained of feeling unwell.

He spent five days in the hospital's coronary care unit while medical staff kept him under observation and waited for the test results to come through.

The 11-time champion jockey, who rode more than 4,400 winners including landing nine Derbies, retired at the age of 50.

Arguably the world's best-know rider, he saddled his first winner in 1948 at the age of 12 at Haydock Park and his first Epsom Derby win came at age 18.

Mr Piggott has also spent a year in prison for tax offences which saw him stripped of the OBE awarded him in 1975.

After his release his training centre Eve Lodge Stables sent out 34 winners and at its peak boasted 97 residents.

Then at the age of 54 he resumed his riding career only to scoop the Breeder's Cup Mile within 10 days of his dramatic return to racing.

Known in racing circles for being an unusually tall jockey at a height of 5ft 8in, he rode for most of his career at a weight just above eight stone.

will.clarke@eadt.co.uk