The silks worn by Lester Piggott when winning the 1954 Derby at Epsom on Never Say Die, the colours of owner Mr Robert Sterling Clark, cerise & grey stripes with blue sash, quartered cap, jacket buttons inscribed Le Reussi, Paris, colour run after later washing; sold with a signed letter of provenance from the current seller (2) Never Say Die won the race at odds of 33/1, ridden by the 18 year old Lester Piggott, the youngest jockey ever to win the race. Never Say Die also won the Rossly Stakes at Ascot in 1953 and the St Leger Stakes at Doncaster in 1954. When retired the American owner Mr Robert Sterling Clark gifted the horse to the National Stud. His most famous son was Larkspur who emulated his sire by winning the Derby in 1962. Never Say Die was also sire to the 1,000 Guineas and Oaks winning filly Never Too Late. Robert Sterling Clark (1877-1956), an heir to the Singer Sewing Machine fortune, was an American horse breeder, art collector and philanthropist. Provenance: John ''Johnny'' Alfred William Goodgame (1915-1996), National Hunt jockey and trainer. The silks are offered with a signed letter of provenance from the current vendor who is the son of the National Hunt jockey and trainer Johnny Goodgame. Goodgame served his apprenticeship at Newmarket and the best horse he ever rode was Robin O'Chantry who was placed in a Champion Hurdle. He was acquainted with the Piggott family, Lester's father Keith being a licenced National Hunt trainer at the same time. A Statement in the letter reads: "The colours have been in the family as long as I can remember and my father told us that the silks were worn by Lester Piggott when he won his first Derby in 1954 and that they were an important piece of racing history and should be kept safely. Apart from the fact my father was a professional in the horse racing industry, and would have had many connections, the exact circumstances of how he acquired the Derby silks in unknown to me. When my father died in 1996 my mother washed the silks and unfortunately as a result the colours ran. My mother died in 1999 and the silks became my property."
£8,000 - £12,000
The silks worn by Lester Piggott when winning the 1954 Derby at Epsom on Never Say Die, the colours of owner Mr Robert Sterling Clark, cerise & grey stripes with blue sash, quartered cap, jacket buttons inscribed Le Reussi, Paris, colour run after later washing; sold with a signed letter of provenance from the current seller (2) Never Say Die won the race at odds of 33/1, ridden by the 18 year old Lester Piggott, the youngest jockey ever to win the race. Never Say Die also won the Rossly Stakes at Ascot in 1953 and the St Leger Stakes at Doncaster in 1954. When retired the American owner Mr Robert Sterling Clark gifted the horse to the National Stud. His most famous son was Larkspur who emulated his sire by winning the Derby in 1962. Never Say Die was also sire to the 1,000 Guineas and Oaks winning filly Never Too Late. Robert Sterling Clark (1877-1956), an heir to the Singer Sewing Machine fortune, was an American horse breeder, art collector and philanthropist. Provenance: John ''Johnny'' Alfred William Goodgame (1915-1996), National Hunt jockey and trainer. The silks are offered with a signed letter of provenance from the current vendor who is the son of the National Hunt jockey and trainer Johnny Goodgame. Goodgame served his apprenticeship at Newmarket and the best horse he ever rode was Robin O'Chantry who was placed in a Champion Hurdle. He was acquainted with the Piggott family, Lester's father Keith being a licenced National Hunt trainer at the same time. A Statement in the letter reads: "The colours have been in the family as long as I can remember and my father told us that the silks were worn by Lester Piggott when he won his first Derby in 1954 and that they were an important piece of racing history and should be kept safely. Apart from the fact my father was a professional in the horse racing industry, and would have had many connections, the exact circumstances of how he acquired the Derby silks in unknown to me. When my father died in 1996 my mother washed the silks and unfortunately as a result the colours ran. My mother died in 1999 and the silks became my property."