▁him : ▁The ▁E ps om ▁Derby . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁he ▁won ▁ 4 ▁of ▁the ▁ 5 ▁' Class ics ' ▁on ▁horses , ▁but ▁still ▁the ▁big ▁Derby ▁win ▁he ▁cra ved ▁remained ▁out ▁of ▁his ▁grasp . ▁The ▁ 1 9 5 3 ▁Derby ▁occurred ▁on ▁a ▁week ▁of ▁great ▁national , ▁and ▁personal ▁celebr ation ▁for ▁Rich ards ▁himself , ▁as ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁j ockey ▁to ▁receive ▁a ▁kn ighth ood . ▁ ▁This ▁time ▁Sir ▁Gordon ▁rode ▁Pin za , ▁a ▁huge ▁horse ▁for ▁a ▁flat - th or ough bre d ▁at ▁ 1 6 ▁hands ▁high , ▁and ▁he ▁rode ▁a ▁ter r ific ▁race . ▁Pin za ▁was ▁in ▁second ▁position ▁through ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁one ▁and ▁half ▁mile ▁( 2 4 1 4 ▁m ) ▁course , ▁compet ing ▁against ▁the ▁Queen ' s ▁own ▁horse ▁A ure ole , ▁and ▁swe eping ▁past ▁the ▁A ga ▁Khan ▁III ' s ▁horse , ▁Sh ik amp ur , ▁into ▁first ▁place ▁with ▁just ▁two ▁f url ongs ▁( 4 0 2 ▁m ) ▁remaining . ▁The ▁long - await ed ▁win ▁was ▁accompanied ▁by ▁th under ous ▁che ers ▁from ▁the ▁f ren z ied ▁crowd . ▁Win ning ▁The ▁Derby ▁was ▁und ou bt edly ▁Sir ▁Gordon ' s ▁crow ning ▁victory , ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁prompt ly ▁sum mon ed ▁from ▁the ▁w inners ' ▁en closure ▁to ▁be ▁con gr at ulated ▁by ▁the ▁Queen