George Sanday

1879 -1936

Amateur rider George Percy Stock Sanday was born on March 12, 1879 and rode a total of 34 winners under National Hunt rules between 1905 and 1922.

He had his first mount under NH rules at Tarporley on April 10, 1901, finishing unplaced on his own horse, the somewhat inauspiciously-named Moderate, in the Ladies’ Purse Chase. He had to wait almost four years for his first win, and when it came it was in fortuitous circumstances, being gifted a walkover on Mollie’s Pet in the Club Chase at Haydock Park on March 25, 1905.

George enjoyed his most successful year in 1909 with seven wins. He made a bright start with a winner on both days of Haydock’s fixture on 8th & 9th January, landing the Wigan Chase on Frampton on the first day and the St Helens Selling Handicap Chase on Varlet on the second day. He followed up on Frampton at Birmingham the following month, then won two races on him at Uttoxeter, a National Hunt Flat race in April and a handicap chase in May. He also won another selling chase on Varlet, this one at Manchester in February.

He continued to ride in races after World War One and rode Hazel Dawn, whom he also owned and trained, to win the Border Counties’ Hunt Challenge Cup Hurdle at Carlisle on Easter Monday, March 28, 1921. Four days later, Hazel Dawn gave amateur rider Patrick Dennis the first win of his career when winning the Bryn-y-Pys Chase at Bangor-on-Dee. Professional jockey George Goswell then won twice on him on consecutive days at Uttoxeter in May.

George rode the last of his 34 winners on Dibbinsdale, the 5-4 favourite, in the Wetheral National Hunt Flat Race at Carlisle on Easter Monday, April 17, 1922.

Ironically, his last ride in public, in the Glenearn National Hunt Flat Race at Perth on September 27, 1924, was aboard the best horse he ever rode, although he finished last of the four runners. His mount that day was called Thrown In.

Thrown In had proven useless on the Flat when trained by Ted Gwilt and had been sold cheaply to Morgan Blair who hunted him for two years and then sold him to Mrs Sanday. Thrown In won seven races for his new owner before being sold again in 1925 to Lord Stalbridge for his son, Hugh Grosvenor, to ride. During the next two seasons, Thrown In won eight chases, including Liverpool’s Valentine Chase in 1926 and the 1927 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

George Sanday died on August 5, 1936, aged 57.