Stories From The Saddle: Guy & Iola Sankey
- pporacommittee
- Mar 18
- 6 min read
Guy and Iola Sankey achieved the uncommon feat at Bangor-on-Dee last weekend of
husband and wife both riding a winner on the same card (no other instances since 2017
come to mind). Great Valley was a 13 th career success for Guy and Blagthebookies a fourth
for Iola – who resumed her riding career in 2022 after a ten-year break, then returned to the
saddle in November just four months after daughter Beatrix was born.
Jake Exelby talked to the couple following their momentous double, about life on the amateur side of a sport becoming more professional every season… and answering the critics.
Where are you from, where are you based now and what do you do for a living?
Guy: I’m from Albrighton (near Wolverhampton) and we live on my parents farm, opposite
the Albrighton Hunt kennels. I’m a chartered surveyor in Birmingham.
Iola: I’m from Warwickshire originally and now work – remotely – in marketing for a software
company.
Iola, why did you stop riding after your debut season? What made you decide to
return?
Both my brothers – Cuthbert and Gordon – rode. In 2012, Gordon was doing his law
conversion course, and I got legged up on his schoolmaster, Uppertier. It was my absolute
dream, but I didn’t make the most of it – I never went to the gym or watched a race. People
said it was faster and more hectic than I’d imagine, and they were right – I was completely
unprepared. When Gordon finished his course, he took back the reins.
Guy and I met hunting, and I knew there was no way I’d be able to dissuade him from going
pointing every weekend so – as I couldn’t beat him – I thought I’d better join him. I bought a
maiden, who immediately broke down, then rode Dounikos for my friend Carlos Baird – a big
shout out to him, as he reignited me.
I had my first winner on him at Chaddesley Corbett on my second ride back – I’d unseated
on the flat on my previous outing there on Uppertier. I only got the ride a few days before
and was just expecting a day out and a picnic! We were tailed off with a circuit to go then he
tanked with me to the finishing line. It was the most incredible day, so euphoric, as everyone
remembers their first win. My brothers also had horses with Dounikos’ trainers Fran and
Charlie Poste, who really made me feel like a champion.
Guy, talk me through your career in racing so far and how you got into point-to-
pointing in the first place?
I got into it through my grandparents, who had a lifelong passion for hunting and pointing,
and my Dad rode a bit. I had no interest in racing at school then, on my gap year, I got a
hunter mare, Kind Thought. She was a Selle Francaise, not a true thoroughbred, but I got
her fit and rode her in our Members race – we fell when we were about three fences behind.
I was completely green – somebody said putting plastic bags over my boots would stop them
getting muddy and I walked into the paddock like that!
My first winner was Galbally King, not until six years later. He belonged to my brother Patrick
(who, at 6’7” is possibly the tallest jockey to ride a winner in point-to-points), who bought him
from Andrew Pennock, and I owe it all to that horse. I was keen to have a go again and he
rekindled my enthusiasm for the sport. I only rode Galbally King that day at Sandon because
Pat was struggling with his weight and we both had a lot of fun on him – it was amazing
when Pat won on him a couple of years later.
How did you celebrate your wins on Sunday?
Guy: There were almighty cheers when Iola got the better of the favourite after the last. It’s
our local meeting, we do a lot of hunting with the Wynnstay and it’s a very sporting changing
room, with the likes of Henry Bailey, Dan Cherriman, Jos Lovegrove-Feilden (who also had a
winner on the card) and Jet Williams Wynn – all big hunting people, who all rode on Sunday.
Iola: It was a special occasion and great to do it surrounded by friends. Guy’s family are
never to be outdone on the picnic front, and I went home and did bathtime with Beatrix
fuelled by champagne!
Tell me about some of your favourite horses?
Iola: Both our current horses with ‘Gitto’ (trainer Neil Gittins) need a mention, as we’re both
riding incredibly capable horses this season. ‘Gitto’ found him, and he’s been unbelievably
satisfying. I could hardly get him round earlier this season – maybe because I’d just had a
baby and wasn’t fit (!) but I bought him as an incentive (to get back in the saddle) and it’s
been a great turnaround story, finishing second at Larkhill before our win.
Guy: Great Valley’s really promising. He’s the best horse I’ve sat on and I’m excited about
him. I must also mention my grandfather’s homebreds – My Friend Freddie and
Bestfriendbarnaby. I’ve won the Members at Bitterley on both and, when I won on Freddie,
Iola was second on Barnaby on her first ride back.
Which horse (not one of your own mounts) would you most like to ride?
Iola: Music Drive, who beat Blagthebookies at Brocklesby Park. He’s got gears.
Guy: I wouldn’t get off Great Valley.
Which other jockeys do you admire?
Iola: Caroline Robinson (nee Beasley). To be the first woman to win the Cheltenham and
Aintree Foxhunters, at a time when women even participating in racing let alone winning
was quite a controversial topic, takes real guts and determination, and – frankly – courage. I
also owe Caroline a massive debt of gratitude for giving me much needed guidance on my
own riding - she's not one to mince her words, and an earful from her is one you don't
forget!
Guy: Jon Jarrett, Neil Gittins and Chris Stockton. I didn’t see any of them race-ride but look
up to the way they ride to hounds across country in ferocious conditions. ‘Gitto’ is the
greatest nagsman of our time – and you can quote me on that!
What do you think of the ‘Grass Roots’ races and do you have any ambitions to ride
under rules?
Guy: These races are a great idea as the gulf to the top jockeys is too vast. Pointing needs
to persevere with them. I’ve got lots of friends who hunt and team chase thoroughbreds so
we also need races to attract horses with a low rating under rules that are cheap to buy and
can be trained at home.
I’ve taken out a Category B licence though, just in case one of my horses is good enough to
go under rules.
Iola: I’m sticking to points. I had a Category A licence for Dounikos, but I jinked it, as he went
lame. In a dream world, it would be great to go for the Aintree Foxhunters.
You’re both keen hunters. What do you think will happen to pointing after a hunting
ban?
Iola: I feel that pointing can find its own way – at least I hope so.
Guy: We’ll have to see what the government does, as I don’t think the sport’s got much of a
future without hunting, as you won’t find the volunteers, and there’s not enough money to
pay people. But I’m positive about the future of hunting and like to think that further
restrictions won’t happen. If anything, I think pointing needs to align more closely to hunting
to survive.
What would you do if you were in charge of the sport?
Iola: At the discretion of the Meeting Secretary, I’d allow riders and – thoroughbred – horses
to go in Members races without having to qualify, just paying a one day ‘cap’ and an entry
fee. I know there are loads of horses out there and it would encourage riders to take the first
step.
Guy: Relatively few jockeys and trainers win most of the races, so we need more
opportunities for smaller operations. I was talking to someone the other day who has two
potential horses to run this season but told me they didn’t see the point as they’d be beaten
out of sight by ones trained to professional standards.
I’d also put the weights up. Mens Opens have all but disappeared. I know female jockeys
would have to carry more lead, but true amateur riders who are novices can’t do 11st 2lbs in
a Mixed Open.
Iola, there were some ‘interesting’ comments about the chances of Blagthebookies
before your second at Larkhill. How do you view your win last week as a riposte to
those?
Guy: Let me answer that first. I thought it was not only unjustified, but ridiculous in an
amateur sport – you shouldn’t call out riders like that, and it might have really damaged the
confidence of a younger jockey. I’d like whoever wrote it to come out hunting and follow Iola!
Iola: I think I laughed. If anything, I owe the writer a thank you, as it incentivised me to hunt
harder and I rode 20 finishes one afternoon, so it obviously worked – you don’t make up five
lengths on Henry Crow after the last otherwise!
What do you enjoy most about pointing?
Iola: It’s like an unhealthy crack addiction!
Guy: But a lot more expensive and far more disappointing!
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