Lester Piggott to present Champion Jockey trophy on Champions Day

Lester Piggott will present the Champion Jockey trophy on Champions Day. Image copyright of Racingfotos.com  

Legendary jockey Lester Piggott will make the trophy presentation to this year’s Stobart Champion Flat Jockey on QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot.

Piggott, who won 11 Champion Jockey titles, said: “Being Champion Jockey is the ultimate accolade for any rider. There are, of course, the flagship races throughout the season which you dream of winning, but being Champion Jockey proves you are the best and requires a huge amount of consistency and commitment. It will be a great honour for me to make the presentation to this year’s Champion.

“I am pleased to see that there is now a financial reward for the Champion Jockey and the runner up. Fighting to be Champion is not cheap, it drains you rushing from meeting to meeting and jockeys spend a lot of time away from their families – so it’s right to have these prizes as recognition of their efforts.”

‘The Long Fellow’ as he was known will be joined up on the podium to present the trophy by the reigning three-times Champion Jockey Richard Hughes, who recently retired from the saddle and joined the training ranks.

Richard Hughes said: “I’m thrilled to be presenting the Champion Jockey trophy to this year’s winner, but to be presenting it next to one of my heroes – Lester Piggott – is a real honour. I will be sad to see the trophy go, it’s been with me since 2012 and I set out this season with the full intention of winning it back for another year. But I am very happy to be embarking on a training career and wish all the lads in the weighing room the very best of luck for the final weeks of the Championships.”

To book your place at QIPCO British Champions Day 2015, head to the ticketing website.