The race is on for ‘three of the all-time greatest jockeys’ in auction valued at over £360k

10th Oct 2023

An incredible collection of memorabilia - including lots from three of horse racing's greatest jockeys, Lester Piggott, Pat Eddery and Fred Archer - heads to the starting gates with Graham Budd Auctions and Weatherbys. Combined with other significant pieces of horse racing memorabilia, the sale is estimated to fetch over £360k on October 16th at Newmarket’s National Horse Racing Museum.

The Lester Piggott collection alone is valued between £58,000-79,000 and consists of lots relating to the jockey’s life and career. Standout pieces of the collection include the 1990 Breeders Cup Trophy Piggott famously won aged 54 (valued between £4,000-6,000); press clipping albums compiled by Piggott from his first race, won when he was just 12 years old; and a set of albums created from the 1950s through to the 1980s - a memoir for arguably one of the best flat-racing jockeys of all time.

With the same number of British titles as Piggott, one of Pat Eddery’s most significant victories came in 1986 with Dancing Brave at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. This trophy is a key part of the special horse racing auction and is estimated to fetch between £3,000-5,000.

But perhaps one of the most intriguing pieces in the sale is a signed, oil on canvas portrait of Fred Archer, created in 1883 by esteemed artist Rosa Corder. In Archer’s short career, he set a number of records that remained well into the 20th century, including 13 titles as Champion Jockey and 246 wins a season. Speculation continues to this day as to what Archer’s final career statistics would have been, had it not been for his tragic suicide aged just 29 in 1886.

The calibre of memorabilia is showcased by the lots above and additional highlights, including:

Tim Hamey’s 1932 saddle from his Grand National win (estimated between £1,500-2,500)
The racing plate worn by Golden Miller when winning the 1934 Grand National (estimated between £2,000-3,000) along with an oil painting of the jockey (estimated between £5,000-7,000)
Ryan Moore’s first winning silks (estimated between £1,500-2,000)
H.M. Queen Elizabeth II’s colours worn by Joe Mercer on Highclere when winning the Prix de Diane in 1974 (estimated between £6,000-8,000)
Bronze maquette of the life-size sculpture of the Queen Mother’s ‘Special Cargo’ that overlooks the winner's enclosure at Sandown Park (estimated between £3,000-4,000)

Graham Budd, Chairman of Graham Budd Auctions, commented: “To see memorabilia in this auction from three of the all-time greatest jockeys is a true honour and a testament to their lives and careers. This really is an outstanding collection of items across the field of horse racing and a rare opportunity to acquire a piece of history. Collaborating with Weatherbys, one of the oldest and most reputable names in horse racing, has been a privilege.”