Former champion jockey Willie Carson has hailed Willie Shoemaker as one of the world's greatest ever riders following the American's death at the age of 72. Shoemaker was until 1999 the all-time leading rider for the number of victories.
He partnered 8,833 winners in his career, a total that still leaves him second in the all-time list behind Laffit Pincay's total of 9,530.
Carson said of Shoemaker: "He was one of the greatest that ever rode. I would definitely put him in the top three and he was possibly the greatest to have ever ridden.
"He was only a little man, only about 7st 2lb, but when he got on a horse he became a giant.
 |  He just had magic in those hands of his |
"He never looked aggressive and never looked very strong on a horse, but he had something that made those horses run."
Carson's great rival Lester Piggott added his own tribute to Shoemaker.
"Bill was a great ambassador for racing, not only in America, but in the rest of the world," said Piggott.
"He had a special gift of getting horses to run for him. It was quite uncanny."
Another retired rider, American Chris McCarron, remembered a compassionate colleague.
"He was one of the greatest human beings I have ever had the pleasure of knowing in my life," said McCarron, now general manager of Santa Anita racecourse.
Standing at just 4ft 11ins tall, Shoemaker rode for 41 years.
Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye said: "For a man his size, wearing a size 2� shoe, he was a giant."
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