Richard Kingscote guided Desert Crown to a dominant Epsom Derby win on Sunday as the two secured a sixth Derby win for legendary trainer Sir Michael Stoute.

“You can’t really [put it into words]. As a kid I was useless but I’ve had a lot of support. He’s obviously got a huge amount of class, he jumped great, travelled great, turned in going really well. It was all lovely. He’s got a lot of class and gave me a lot of confidence, it’s all about him and Sir Michael really. He’s a lovely horse and a lovely gentleman trains him,” jockey Richard Kingscote said after the win.

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Who is Richard Kingscote?

The 35-year-old began his journey by helping out with pony rides as a holiday job. Now, 20 years later, he is steering Desert Crown.

“Because I was the family runt and loved horses I thought I’d be a jockey,” he told Telegraph. 

He then found out about the British Racing School.

“I had no other plans in life, it’s a good set up there and at the end of nine weeks they sort you out with a job,” he told the outlet.

At the age of 19, he learned to ride and then got into racing. He, however, took a break following the birth of his children. 

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He has two other passions – motorbikes and tattoos.

During COVID-induced lockdown, he worked with a local racer and learned how to strip the engine of his Yamaha R6 bike. 

“I will race it one day but not while I’m doing well riding horses. A friend says I’d be competitive in amateur racing but professionals? They’d come past like I was stood still,” he told the outlet.