Piggott: French challenger Tiberian the one for me in Melbourne Cup

Lester Piggott has nominated Tiberian as his fancy for next week’s Emirates Melbourne Cup, a race the legendary former jockey never had the chance to win himself.

Piggott, who turns 82 on Sunday, is in Melbourne for the 157th running of Australia’s most famous race, which he feels could be going the way of French raider Tiberian.

"He's a nice horse and moving well,” Piggott said of the Alain Couetil-trained 25-1 shot, who landed a Group 2 at Deauville on his most recent outing.

Tiberian is Olivier Peslier’s first ride in the race. It is an opportunity that Piggott – widely regarded as possibly the greatest-ever jockey – never had.

Tiberian: French challenger takes Piggott's eye

"A lot has changed in racing since I was riding,” he said. “I was asked to come out and ride in the Melbourne Cup but couldn't make it.”

Peslier will be in action alongside Frankie Dettori, who rides the favourite Almandin, in the Melbourne Cup, and Piggott was full of praise for Dettori.

He told AAP Racing: "In England we still have a lot of good jockeys and a blind man can see Ryan Moore is a good rider. But Frankie has still got it."

Asked if he should give Dettori a few pointers before the Melbourne Cup, Piggott replied: "Frankie might give me a few."

Piggott rates Sir Ivor, his 1968 Epsom Derby winner, as the best horse he rode. "Not everyone would agree with me and he did get beaten a few times, but he was a great horse," he said.

For complete coverage of racing and bloodstock in Australia and New Zealand, download ANZ Bloodstock News every day