Piggott recovering in intensive care after heart attack

The 71-year- old former champion jockey has been joined by his wife Susan and daughter Maureen Haggas.

His son-in-law, trainer William Haggas, said: "Maureen rang me up and said everything was under control and he was in intensive care as a precaution."

He added: "In her opinion he is going to get better, which is fantastic.

"Everyone knows that if you have been in hospital with a heart condition and you go back in and enter intensive care it is a worry and it is a fear.

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"But I am assured by Maureen - and I know from the tone of her voice that there is no worry in it - that he is going to be fine."

Doctors at Lausanne University Hospital said his condition was "serious but stable" after he collapsed near his hotel on the shores of Lake Geneva.

A hospital spokesman said: "Mr Piggott suffered a cardiac arrest. He is awake but he will remain where he is for the time being under close observation."

The 11-time champion jockey, who retired in 1995 after 4,493 race wins, first suffered heart problems in December and spent several days in hospital before returning home to recuperate.

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His ill health comes after a controversial career spanning nearly 50 years in which he became the most successful jockey of all time but was also jailed for tax dodging.

Piggott won his first race at the age of 12 in 1948 and went on to a glittering career from which he retired for the first time in 1985 to become a successful trainer.

But he fell foul of the taxman in 1987 and served one year of a three-year jail term for tax evasion.

On his release he was stripped of the OBE he had been awarded in 1975 for services to horse racing.

Piggott resumed his career as a jockey in 1990 and won the Breeders' Cup Mile within ten days of his return to the saddle, before finally retiring for good in 1995.

He had been due to attend a special race day in his honour on Saturday at Newmarket, where he enjoyed some of his greatest triumphs.

The National Horseracing Museum in Newmarket had borrowed pictures, trophies and memorabilia from Piggott's home to create a special display for the event in a racecourse marquee.

Alistair Haggis, spokesman for Newmarket racecourses, said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with Lester and his family.

"Everyone in racing, especially in Newmarket, hopes he pulls through.

"It's very sad. He had been so looking forward to his big day on Saturday. I saw him last week and he was in great form and really looking forward to it.

"We will talk to Lester's family before the weekend and get an update on how he is, but as things currently stand the raceday is planned to go ahead and will be a great tribute to him.

"Lester was due to host a party in the royal box. It was all set to be a wonderful day but it all pales into insignificance.

"We just hope and pray that Lester is back in Newmarket soon.

"He's the town's most famous resident. He's a true legend."

Members of his family who had hoped to be at Newmarket, including his other daughter Tracey and brother-in-law Robert Armstrong, are now expected to fly to Switzerland to be with him.