Champions United In Relief And Joy

Saturday's meeting at Doncaster served up a finale only idealistic Hollywood script-writers would have dared nurture into existence.

In keeping with the blissfully unpredictable saga between Jamie Spencer and Seb Sanders, it somehow felt right the jockeys' championship should comed down to the last race of the Flat season.

In what has been a titanic struggle since flag-fall, Sanders and Spencer eventually shared the title after a pulsating battle was finally settled when Inchnadamph, ridden by the latter, bolted in on a breathless afternoon in Yorkshire.

The duelling duo ended locked together on 190 winners, pride intact and reputations galvanised.

The result was the perfect outcome in many ways and enabled both men to bask in the limelight ? and thus avoid having to cope with what would have been the cruellest of defeats.

Sanders watched the final race of the 2007 season from the weighing room, safe in the knowledge he could not lose the title he has strived to obtain with such commitment.

However, Spencer's breathlessly-cool win aboard Inchnadamph meant the uncompromising rider had to settle for a share of the spoils with the 2005 champion.

When asked for his initial feelings on passing the post in front, Spencer said: 'It's just such a relief and I cannot wait to shake Seb's hand as he'll be as happy as I am that it's all over.'

And he didn't have to wait long, as Sanders gave his fellow weighing-room colleague a hug and pat on the back.

Sanders said: 'It wasn't hard to watch that last race and Jamie honestly deserved it as much as me.

'It's just a brilliant feeling as I've been trying for the past seven or eight years and my dream has finally come true.'

Spencer admitted the engaging scrap left him exhausted and does not envisage a similar end to next season.

'It's very, very demanding,' he said.

'I'll be riding every day but I want to watch my family grow up and spend more time away (helping charity), so I'll not be tearing up and down the country again.'

Sanders nudged two ahead of his rival when Incomparable won an eventful first division of the six-furlong juvenile maiden after Godolphin's Omnicat swerved late when in front to unship Eddie Ahern and hand the race to Sanders.

Spencer drew within touching distance again when Generous Thought did the job in pleasing style in the nursery.

Spencer and Sanders also went agonisingly close aboard Minus Fifteen and Borderlescott respectively, before the former gained that crucial last winner in the finale.

Aidan O'Brien, Greg Fairley and the Godolphin operation also had cause for celebration as each carried off championships of their own.

Godolphin finished the season as leading owners, while O'Brien finished as leading trainer.

Fairley rode 65 winners to stroll away with the apprentice title and will now hope to follow in the footsteps of Sanders, who earned that honour in 1995.

Reflecting on the race for the senior championship, Fairley said: 'They've worked hard and hopefully one year I'll be in that same sort of battle with someone else.'

If there is ever to be a repeat of this season's remarkable climax, the racing public will be forever grateful.

(C) PA Sport