Willie Carson

After Lester Piggott, Willie Carson is the only other man to have Derby Winners on more than three occasions. With five championships, seventeen English classic triumphs and nearly four thousand career winners, Willie Carson is currently the fourth highest winning jockey in British racing history after Richards, Lester Piggott and Pat Eddery.

Success did not come easy to Carson, and following a slow start to his career he admitted he was extremely close to quitting the sport. Determination paid off, with the utilisation of his energetic racing style and his sheer will to win, he developed into one of the finest jockeys in racing history.

The first of Willie Carson's four Derby victories came aboard Troy in 1979, considered one of the top three horses he has ever rode. The seven length was at the time a post-war record and has since only been bettered by Shergar's ten length success in 1982 and equalled by Slip Anchor in the mid-1980's.

Despite retiring as a jockey in 1997 Willie Carson is still actively involved within the racing industry, commentating for the BBC and is European racing manager for The Thoroughbred Corporation. For all Willie Carson's career achievements 'Blue Riband' day at Epsom captured his emotions, the popular Scottish jockey stated, 'Winning the Derby is the best feeling you get out of racing'.