But 24 hours on and the 50-year-old was the toast of the Berkshire course, after equalling Piggott's haul of 4,493 career winners, the second highest amount of victories by any jockey.

It was apt that Eddery should catch up with Piggott's mark at Royal Ascot, the premier Flat meeting of the season.

For Eddery has enjoyed great success at Royal Ascot, being crowned leading jockey five times and winning all of the festival's Group One races at least once.

His first winner at the Royal meeting came back in 1969, when he partnered Sky Rocket to victory in the Wokingham Handicap.

Thirty-three years later, his 73rd success came on Romantic Liason in the Queen Mary Stakes.

Good breeding is a vital element in Flat racing and Eddery himself has horsemanship in his genes, being the son of Irish champion jockey Jimmy.

Eddery junior was apprenticed to Seamus McGrath before joining Frenchie Nicholson in 1967, under whose guidance he was champion apprentice in 1971.

First title

He joined Peter Walwyn's powerful stable in 1973 and the following year was champion jockey for the first time.

In 1981 he became retained jockey to top owner Robert Sangster and they teamed up to enjoy numerous big-race successes with the likes of El Gran Senor, Sadler's Wells and Golden Fleece.

He also partnered Sangster's Detroit to victory in the 1980 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, the first of a record-equalling four triumphs in the Longchamp event.

In 1986 he rode the brilliant Dancing Brave to victory in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes and the Arc, and the following year became the retained jockey of the colt's owner Khalid Abdullah.

Eddery has ridden as a freelance since 1995 and reached his last notable landmark in the 1997 St Leger when he registered his 4,000th win in Britain on Silver Patriarch.