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
Petite Etoile Derby winner Parthia. Starting at odds of 1/3 she was restrained by Piggott until the closing stages where she displayed "devastating speed", to accelerate past Parthia, "as if he were a selling plater" and win by one and a half lengths. Following the race, her owners reportedly turned down an offer of £320,000 for the filly from an American source. In the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot in July, Petite Etoile started 2/5 favourite, despite the rain-softened ground. Before the race, Lester Piggott said that he could see no danger to the filly and described her