Epsom Derby

WEIGHING ROOM

Some of the jockeys go quiet and some are noisy before the race. It`s all to do with how they handle nerves and the big occasion. I was always noisy.
There are lots of superstitions among the jockeys - I always put my right boot on first because I wanted to be with `the right one.`
If you are busy, you are not nervous, so riding in the races beforehand is a good thing. They also give you a feeling for the track and the day itself.
Otherwise, you are sitting there and the big race is going through your mind all the time.

PADDOCK

When you normally meet connections in the paddock, generally the chat is all about the race.
At the Derby, all the talking has been done a long time beforehand. It`s a rare thing that you will be riding for a trainer you`ve never spoken to before.
You are going through the motions, although trainers may want to give you certain instructions if circumstances change, such as a change in the going or if one of the danger horses is not running.
Jockeys don`t tend to know about the betting, but if there`s a Tote board in the paddock, you`ll have a look. It`s nice if your horse is being backed - it gives you a bit of confidence.

THE START

Any nerves disappear when you are going down to the start.
Getting on the horse is when you get rid of people, and you`re with your partner who doesn`t talk. It`s a one-way conversation in the sense you are listening to him through feeling, watching what he`s doing and trying to keep him as calm as possible.
If you are on a hot favourite, people are screaming and waving at you. You want to wave back, but you don`t want to upset the horse.
Most of the jockeys will be deep in thought, worrying about their animals and thinking about what they are going to do.
You have got to keep your horse relaxed so you go into the stalls as quietly as possible.
If you can, you`ll get off his back and perch on the side of the stalls. But it`s not always possible to do all these things.
Stalls 10 and 13 seem to be lucky ones. I know I didn`t want to be drawn low in the Derby.
You jump off, and they all go to the right,

EARLY STAGES

It is a 110ft rise over the first seven furlongs from the start to the top of the hill.
After going over to the right, virtually immediately you start to track back to the left-hand rail. After three-and-a-half furlongs, nearly everyone will be back on the left.
By this time, you will have gone over two roads. Epsom is famous for its roads, and hopefully there`s some lush green grass laid over it with matting underneath.
This is when the race starts to settle. The Derby, of all races, is run at a fast pace because people are jockeying for the best position.
I didn`t mind too much if I was on the inside. One horse in from the rail would be ideal.

FIVE FURLONGS TO GO

Near the top of the hill, you want to give your horse some rhythm and accept your position for the next six furlongs.
The ground flattens out with seven furlongs gone, and you can hear horses change their breath - it`s like a big sigh of relief. It gets a bit easier from there.
Just past the mile, you are suddenly turning left and you don`t stop turning left until you get to Tattenham Corner.
You want to be one, two or three from the rail - you don`t want to be four-wide and having to make up ground.
The track is turning all the time. The ground just drops away and when there is five furlongs to go, it drops quite dramatically, still turning slightly to the left.

THE STANDS

When the Derby was run on a Wednesday, and people really went racing, there was 250,000 people in the crowd.
Coming into Tattenham Corner, there is a huge crowd infield on the other side of the rails.
Either side, there are people screaming, and you can hear the roar.
It`s like running down a tunnel of noise. It could be frightening to some people.

GOING DOWNHILL

Now you know whether your horse is in the race. Generally, the winner will be on the bridle.
You`re looking to improve your position, although when I won on Henbit (1980), I didn`t change position until there was two-and-a-half furlongs left.
I really only had one danger, Greville Starkey`s horse, and I was riding a little bit to beat him.
But Troy (1979) came from miles behind, so did Erhaab (1994).
The ground is dropping away, and horses don`t like it - they don`t understand what`s happening.
Some of them have never galloped downhill before. It`s not natural for them to do that, and turn as well.
Horses can start rolling with you, and you are keeping hold of their heads.

HOME STRAIGHT

Everyone`s thinking this is it!
You go over the last road, hoping the horse doesn`t give a little jump or do something silly.
Perhaps you will go after somebody who`s going well, get on his heels, and that fellow takes you through.
With two furlongs left, not many jockeys could sit still. Lester Piggott and I could, Pat Eddery might, but most of them see the pot of gold and go for it.
The course has a camber and when a horse is tired, he is liable to lug down, so you have to hold him straight.
It`s nearly all downhill from Tattenham Corner until there`s a quarter-of-a-furlong left, when the ground starts to rise.
If it`s a tight finish, a real head-bobber, you might not know if you`ve won even when you go past the finishing line.
It might not be the result you want to hear.

WINNING POST

Winning the Derby is the best feeling you get out of racing.
It`s a thing you`ve been striving for all your life - and doesn`t happen to many people.
Lester Piggott won it nine times