How old was jockey Gordon Richards when he won his first British Derby horse race?

Sir Gordon Richards (5 May 1904 – 10 November 1986) was an English jockey. He was the British flat racing Champion Jockey 26 times and is often considered the world's greatest jockey ever. He remains the only flat jockey to have been knighted.

Despite his successes, the Derby still eluded him. The 1953 race occurred on a week of great national, and personal celebration for Richards himself, as he became the first (and to date only) jockey to receive a knighthood. On being awarded the knighthood, he memorably joked, "I never dreamed I'd end up being the shortest knight of the year."

Sir Gordon rode Pinza, a huge horse for a flat-thoroughbred at 16 hands high. Pinza was in second position through much of the race, competing against the Queen's own horse Aureole, and sweeping past the Aga Khan III's horse, Shikampur, into first place with just two furlongs remaining. The long-awaited win was accompanied by thunderous cheers from the frenzied crowd. Winning The Derby at what was to be his final attempt was undoubtedly Sir Gordon's crowning victory and came at the ripe old age of 49.

The Derby Stakes, also known as the Epsom Derby or the Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in England open to three-year-old colts and fillies. It is Britain's richest flat horse race. It is run at Epsom Downs Racecourse in Surrey on the first Saturday of June each year, over a distance of one mile, four furlongs and 6 yards (2,420 metres). It was first run in 1780.