Sandy May
Article by Chris Pitt
Article by Chris Pitt
Born in St Austell, Cornwall, on January 26, 1951, National Hunt jockey Sandy William May was apprenticed to David Barons and rode for him during the pre-Martin Pipe era when Barons and Les Kennard were the undisputed kings of the south-west jumping circuit.
Born in St Austell, Cornwall, on January 26, 1951, National Hunt jockey Sandy William May was apprenticed to David Barons and rode for him during the pre-Martin Pipe era when Barons and Les Kennard were the undisputed kings of the south-west jumping circuit.
Sandy May rode his first winner on Say Who You Are in the City of Plymouth Handicap Hurdle at Devon & Exeter on Whit Monday, May 29, 1972. He rode four winners the following season including his first two over fences, courtesy of handicap chaser Osceola at Newbury and Ascot in November 1972.
Sandy May rode his first winner on Say Who You Are in the City of Plymouth Handicap Hurdle at Devon & Exeter on Whit Monday, May 29, 1972. He rode four winners the following season including his first two over fences, courtesy of handicap chaser Osceola at Newbury and Ascot in November 1972.
His eleven winners for 1973/74 included two on the strangely named novice hurdler Bodmin Jail Club, Devon & Exeter’s Twysden Challenge Cup Chase on the useful Foxtor, and a brace of novice chase victories on Junior Lead, all trained by David Barons.
His eleven winners for 1973/74 included two on the strangely named novice hurdler Bodmin Jail Club, Devon & Exeter’s Twysden Challenge Cup Chase on the useful Foxtor, and a brace of novice chase victories on Junior Lead, all trained by David Barons.
His tally rose to 18 winners in 1974/75, including a Windsor double in November on Barons’ chasers Junior Lead and Isle Of Wight, but by far the most extraordinary came at Ludlow on November 26, 1974. There were just two runners for the two-mile Corvedale Handicap Chase, Sandy’s mount Some Surprise and the Aly Branford-ridden Greystoke Pillar. Both horses fell at the second fence. While Branford’s was unable to continue, Sandy remounted his horse but only got as far as the next fence where Some Surprise refused. Put at the fence again, this time he ran out. Sandy somehow persuaded his mount to jump the fence at the third attempt and he then proceeded, slowly but surely, to negotiate the remainder of the fences and finish alone in a time of 7 minutes 44 seconds, almost 4 minutes above standard time for a two-mile chase at Ludlow.
His tally rose to 18 winners in 1974/75, including a Windsor double in November on Barons’ chasers Junior Lead and Isle Of Wight, but by far the most extraordinary came at Ludlow on November 26, 1974. There were just two runners for the two-mile Corvedale Handicap Chase, Sandy’s mount Some Surprise and the Aly Branford-ridden Greystoke Pillar. Both horses fell at the second fence. While Branford’s was unable to continue, Sandy remounted his horse but only got as far as the next fence where Some Surprise refused. Put at the fence again, this time he ran out. Sandy somehow persuaded his mount to jump the fence at the third attempt and he then proceeded, slowly but surely, to negotiate the remainder of the fences and finish alone in a time of 7 minutes 44 seconds, almost 4 minutes above standard time for a two-mile chase at Ludlow.
The 1975/76 campaign was Sandy’s best with 26 winners, beginning with victory in Newton Abbot’s Wombat Challenge Cup Handicap Hurdle on Palmeira Square in August. A far more prestigious trophy came his way on
The 1975/76 campaign was Sandy’s best with 26 winners, beginning with victory in Newton Abbot’s Wombat Challenge Cup Handicap Hurdle on Palmeira Square in August. A far more prestigious trophy came his way on
November 13 when winning Wincanton’s Badger Beer Chase on Something’s Missing. That was the second leg of a double initiated by Barons’ novice chaser Perambulate (right). Owned by Mrs Dorothy Meats, Perambulate won four more times for Sandy that season, and there were further doubles at Devon & Exeter in December and Newton Abbot in April.
November 13 when winning Wincanton’s Badger Beer Chase on Something’s Missing. That was the second leg of a double initiated by Barons’ novice chaser Perambulate (right). Owned by Mrs Dorothy Meats, Perambulate won four more times for Sandy that season, and there were further doubles at Devon & Exeter in December and Newton Abbot in April.
Sandy was at the peak of his career in the mid-1970s but was soon competing for rides with an up and coming conditional named Paul Leach, whose career was beginning to gather momentum. David Barons was always keen to provide opportunities for his claiming jockeys, as had been the case during Sandy’s apprenticeship. Consequently, Sandy’s winning tally dropped to a dozen in 1976/77.
Sandy was at the peak of his career in the mid-1970s but was soon competing for rides with an up and coming conditional named Paul Leach, whose career was beginning to gather momentum. David Barons was always keen to provide opportunities for his claiming jockeys, as had been the case during Sandy’s apprenticeship. Consequently, Sandy’s winning tally dropped to a dozen in 1976/77.
He continued booting home the winners, albeit no longer at a level of the mid-1970s, before taking out a trainer’s licence in 1982 and setting up at West Hill, Brampton, in Devon, with a string of half a dozen. It was only a small operation with never more than nine horses in the yard, and Sandy continued to hold a jockey’s licence, riding many of them himself.
He continued booting home the winners, albeit no longer at a level of the mid-1970s, before taking out a trainer’s licence in 1982 and setting up at West Hill, Brampton, in Devon, with a string of half a dozen. It was only a small operation with never more than nine horses in the yard, and Sandy continued to hold a jockey’s licence, riding many of them himself.
He trained seven winners during his four seasons as a trainer, the last of them being Thornton, ridden by Tommy Carmody, at Chepstow on October 5, 1985, but found it an uphill struggle. In 1986, aged 35, he decided to give up training and riding and quit racing altogether. One of his last rides was on Scholarship in a four-year-old hurdle at Newton Abbot on March 29, 1986.
He trained seven winners during his four seasons as a trainer, the last of them being Thornton, ridden by Tommy Carmody, at Chepstow on October 5, 1985, but found it an uphill struggle. In 1986, aged 35, he decided to give up training and riding and quit racing altogether. One of his last rides was on Scholarship in a four-year-old hurdle at Newton Abbot on March 29, 1986.
Reflecting on the situation he said: “I will miss riding, but the training is another thing. There are a lot of small trainers in the West Country, so you’ve got to have good owners behind you and they need the money to buy a decent horse or two. At the end of the day, it is all about pounds, shillings and pence. And if you aren’t getting anything for all the work you put in, there isn’t much point in carrying on.”
Reflecting on the situation he said: “I will miss riding, but the training is another thing. There are a lot of small trainers in the West Country, so you’ve got to have good owners behind you and they need the money to buy a decent horse or two. At the end of the day, it is all about pounds, shillings and pence. And if you aren’t getting anything for all the work you put in, there isn’t much point in carrying on.”
Sandy May rode well over 100 winners over the course of his career. He nominated the Mildmay-White family’s top-class chaser Uncle Bing as the best he’d ridden. Sandy rode him four times, winning twice, namely the Galloway Braes Novices’ Chase at Kempton on February 22, 1975 and Cheltenham’s Old Year Handicap Chase on December 31, 1976.
Sandy May rode well over 100 winners over the course of his career. He nominated the Mildmay-White family’s top-class chaser Uncle Bing as the best he’d ridden. Sandy rode him four times, winning twice, namely the Galloway Braes Novices’ Chase at Kempton on February 22, 1975 and Cheltenham’s Old Year Handicap Chase on December 31, 1976.
He also finished second on Uncle Bing in the Cottage Rake Chase at Kempton.
He also finished second on Uncle Bing in the Cottage Rake Chase at Kempton.