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
Empery Bunker Hunt) and Arctic Tern in the Group One Prix Lupin at Longchamp. He was then sent to England to contest the Derby, with Lester Piggott who had ridden six previous winners of the race being engaged to ride the colt at Epsom. On 2 June 1976, Empery started at odds of 10/1 for the Derby against twenty-two opponents, with the 2000 Guineas winner Wollow starting 11/10 favourite. Nelson Bunker Hunt was not in attendance for the race, the most valuable ever run in Britain, as he was celebrating his 25th wedding anniversary at home in Dallas. In the early