David Leslie Lancaster, of Whalley, Blackburn, was born on 10 October 1954 and served a three-year apprenticeship with Sam Hall.
After moderate success on the Flat, he switched to the jumps, and rode his first winner as a NH jockey on 11 September 1978, when getting the 12-1 shot Irish Prince home in the first at Hexham.
That season, his best, he rode seven winners.
On 23 August 1980, he married Julie Johnstone.