Never Say Die (horse) 33/1 outsider in a field of twenty-two runners for the Derby. According to some accounts, he would have started at even longer odds if his memorable name and the publicity attracted by his eighteen-year-old jockey Lester Piggott had not made him a popular choice with many members of the public. The colt was always well-placed and was sent into the lead early in the straight by Piggott. He won comfortably by two lengths from Arabian Night and Darius. Clark was ill in New York hospital and unable to attend the race, which saw Never Say Die becoming the first American-bred
Roberto (horse) Irish Derby. Leading jockey Lester Piggott abandoned Roberto to ride Rheingold. However, most interest focused on the four-year-old Brigadier Gerard whose presence generated enormous publicity for the race. Undefeated in fifteen career starts, Brigadier Gerard was seen as invincible. Having lost jockey Piggott, and with the first-choice reserve Williamson committed to riding in Belgium. Vincent O'Brien took the advice of Roberto's owner John Galbreath, and flew in the Panamanian-born American jockey Braulio Baeza. Riding for the first time on an English racetrack, according to Raceform, a leading publisher of U.K. horseracing information, "Braulio Baeza aboard Roberto was out of the