LESTER Piggott rode his first and last winner at Haydock Park so it is wholly appropriate that today’s Group 3 Pinnacle Stakes has been renamed after him.

The legendary 11-time champion jockey passed away just over a year ago. He rode his first winner at the tender age of 12 on The Chase at the Lancashire track in 1948 and signed off his glorious career aged 58 aboard Palacegate Jack in 1994.

It would also be very appropriate if William Haggas saddled the winner of today’s feature. The Yorkshire native is married to Piggott’s daughter Maureen, and would dearly love to win the first renewal of the Lester Piggott Stakes (3.00). He won the race last season with the subsequent Prix de Royailleu winner Sea La Rosa and has another filly for the same owners Sunderland Holdings again in Sea Silk Road, as he bids to maintain his strong recent record in the mile-and-a-half contest.

“I think it is a great honour that officials at Haydock Park have named the race in memory of Lester. The family are absolutely thrilled,” Haggas told The Jockey Club yesterday.

“She is a filly who has not yet won a group race but she won a listed race last year and was second in the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot.

“Her run in the Ribblesdale was terrific and the filly who beat her, Magical Lagoon, won the Irish Oaks afterwards so it turned out the form of that race, at the time, was quite good.”

Sea Silk Road has to leave behind her a disappointing comeback effort in the Middleton Stakes at York, where she was a well held sixth to Free Wind, but Haggas is confident she can do just that.

“They went too slow for her over that extended mile and a quarter [in the Middleton] and she didn’t really relax,” he said. “She has come forward for that run though and going back to a mile and a half I think will suit her.”

The unexposed Modaara (David Egan/Roger Varian) was trading as the 9/4 favourite yesterday evening. She is very much untested at this level but won a novice race at Kempton but all of 13 lengths.

In the other Group 3 on the card, the Sky Bet John Of Gaunt Stakes (3.35), Australian raider The Astrologist will continue his preparation for the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes with his second run in Britain for the Flemington-based, father-and-son-trainer team of Leon and Troy Corstens.

Just touched off by Danyah in the Al Quoz Sprint earlier in the year, the six-year-old could only manage to finish sixth in the Duke Of York Clipper Stakes last month but Ryan Moore, who retains the mount, feels he will be a different proposition now.

“He has a 3lb penalty for his win in Australia back in December but that wouldn’t worry me too much,” Moore told Betfair. “He has to bounce back after his seventh at York for me last time but that would hopefully have brought him on a lot and sharpened him up. He is the one to beat at his Group 1-best.

“His Group 3 win in December came over this seven-furlong trip, so stepping up from six furlongs could be a positive too.”

GORDON Elliott and Willie Mullins have started the new jumps season in lightning form, with the former already sending out 25 winners from just 122 runs, equating to a 20% strike rate.

The Meath native is set for another busy weekend at Punchestown’s two-day Summer In Town Festival and his most intriguing runner is perhaps Ash Tree Meadow, whose long-term objective is a return to Ballybrit for the Galway Plate.

He returns off a 232-day break in the Oak Lodge Landscapes At Punchestown Hurdle (4.15), which has turned out to be a smart contest through the declarations of De Capo Glory and Jeff Kidder.

“He will improve for the run,” Elliott told The Irish Field.

“The Galway Plate is my main plan for him. I’m sure we will have a few for that race but he definitely has a nice profile. He was fourth to Hewick last year as a six-year-old.

“Hopefully he can show up well here and we can use this race as a nice stepping stone.”

Elliott also runs The Greek in the two-mile handicap chase (2.30) earlier on the card.

“This will be a little bit easier for him after his last run (10th to Dinoblue at festival here),” he said. “The handicapper might have a hold of him but he is in good form at home and he runs well fresh.”

Pertemps Final runner-up Salvador Ziggy, rated 145 over hurdles, is a notable new recruit to fences for the Cullentra team in a three-mile beginners’ chase (2.15) tomorrow.

On his prospects, Elliott added: “He has some very smart form over hurdles and on good ground. Touch wood, he has schooled well at home and we’re looking forward to running him.”