Spencer and Sanders share title

Racing:  Jamie Spencer and Seb Sanders have shared the jockeys' title on a remarkable afternoon at Doncaster.

Racing: Jamie Spencer and Seb Sanders have shared the jockeys' title on a remarkable afternoon at Doncaster.

Sanders held the lead by one going into the final day of the Flat season but a double for Spencer saw the honours shared for only the third time in history.

Both men incredibly rode 190 winners throughout the campaign and their battle went down to the final race of the season.

Sanders, successful earlier on the card aboard Incomparable, knew he had his name on the roll of honour after both pilots finished unplaced in the penultimate totesport.com November Handicap.

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But Spencer still had a final decisive throw of the dice on Inchnadamph, who slalomed to victory in the concluding totesportgames.com Handicap.

Spencer said: "I'm choked. It's been physically and mentally draining over the last month.

"This was the best result that could have happened for racing as no-one deserved to lose.

"He (Sanders) is the toughest rival you could ever meet.

"I'm so delighted - it's the best result, there could be no other result."

Sanders added: "It's been a bit of holy grail for me.

"I've had a few shots at it before but just fell short the last few times.

"This year's been totally different. I can't believe how many winners I rode in the last couple of weeks.

"It's unbelievable."

Sanders was guaranteed at least a share of the spoils after the outcome of the November Handicap, in which both jockeys finished out of the money.

Sanders was prominent in the early stages aboard John Terry but faded, while Spencer's mount, Pippa Greene, was never competitive.

"It's probably the nicest loser I've ever ridden," smiled a delighted Sanders.

"All I was doing was looking where Jamie was - I don't normally ride like that.

"My name's on the list now," he told Channel 4 Racing.

The enthralling saga between the two rivals got off to a breathless start on Town Moor when Sanders pulled two winners clear in dramatic circumstances.

Sanders looked booked for second on Incomparable in the first division of the First Transforming Travel In Doncaster EBF Maiden Stakes when Omnicat hit the front a furlong out.

But the Godolphin newcomer then jinked right, unshipping jockey Eddie Ahern before interfering with Incomparable (11-4), stopping him to nearly a walk.

In any event, he managed to hold on by a length from Orange Pip.

Spencer, the 2005 jockeys' champion, came agonisingly close to pulling one back in the second division of the six-furlong maiden 30 minutes later when Minus Fifteen was beaten in a photo-finish by Premier Danseur.

Suitably inspired, Spencer then kept his hopes alive with a decisive victory on Generous Thought in the Bet In-Play At totesport.com Nursery Handicap to narrow the gap to one winner.

Sanders had to settle for third aboard Mudhish.

Spencer then finished out of the frame on Gull Wing in the totesport 0800 221 221 EBF Gillies Fillies' Stakes, before Sanders nearly earned a joint-share of the title when Borderlescott was narrowly beaten by Galeota in the totetentofollow.co.uk Wentworth Stakes.

There was an added blow for Sanders as Backbord, his mount in the concluding totesportgames.com Handicap, was declared a non-runner due to the ground.

But the way Inchnadamph won, by eight lengths, suggested it would have taken a special performance to deny Spencer a second title on what was an incredulous end to the Flat campaign.