People in the public enclosure were showering flowers on me as I walked towards the paddock on my mount after winning the 1992 Derby. It is and will always remain the most memorable moment of my career. Memories of that eventful February evening are still afresh in my mind. I won the crown on Astonish beating La Bonne Vie ridden by great English jockey Willie Carson, who then used to ride for the Queen. Even after so many years people still recall the race where both of us went neck-to-neck in the last 400 metres.

La Bonne Vie was never going to be a threat to my horse Astonish but on a Derby day anything can happen. Carson used his horse’s late burst to the fullest. Finally, camera separated the two on the post. After that, the crowd went wild and I was the hero.

But almost a decade later, I got the biggest shock of my life on Derby day. I was riding a favourite called Zurbaran and had another horse called Noble Eagle as pace-setter for my horse. Noble Eagle had opened a good lead and I was tracking him in second position followed by others.

When we were entering the home stretch, I was expecting Noble Eagle to start dropping back as that’s what is expected from pace-setters. I knew another fancied horse Classical Act ridden by Pesi Shroff was behind me. So as I followed Noble Eagle in the home stretch, I was still looking back to track the progress of Classical Act.

But when I looked in front, I was shocked to see that Noble Eagle cantering towards the finishing line. I noticed that such was the rhythm and momentum of the pace setter that he was suddenly a contender. I realised the possible outcome and panicked. I desperately tried to extend Zurbaran to the fullest. The horse showed great strides but yet failed to catch Noble Eagle.

That was my last Derby and when I eased my mount after passing the wining post, Pesi was also slowing down on Classical Act. He too looked shocked.

Riding in Indian Derby gives a rider a chance to test his positioning skills. I think Derby starts only after horses have run half the distance. From 1,200 metres mark, when the lesser horses start dropping down, it is a real challenge to wade past them and yet maintain your position within the striking range of other major rivals.