Lester Piggott a horse called "The Chase" at Haydock Park. Piggott is known for his quiet demeanour. He describes his mother as wisely downplaying his success, while his father rarely gave advice unless there had been a particular mistake. By his teens a sensation in the racing world, he rode his first winner of The Derby on Never Say Die in 1954 aged 18 years and went on to win eight more, on Crepello (1957), St. Paddy (1960), Sir Ivor (1968), Nijinsky (1970), Roberto (1972), Empery (1976), The Minstrel (1977) and Teenoso (1983). He was stable jockey to Noel Murless and later
Alphabatim the Feilden Stakes winner Trojan Fen. In May he was moved up in distance to contest the Highland Spring Derby Trial over one and a half miles at Lingfield Park Racecourse and started 2/5 favourite against four opponents. With Rouse again in the saddle he won "very easily" by six lengths from Get The Message. Lester Piggott took over from Rouse when Alphabatim contested the 205th running of the Epsom Derby in June. He appeared to be the leading British-trained contender and started the 11/2 second favourite behind the Irish colt El Gran Senor in a seventeen-runners field. He stayed