Former champion jockey Seb Sanders is making an emotional return to race riding in Wednesday’s Leger Legends charity contest in honour of the Injured Jockeys Fund (IJF) after they helped him off "rock-bottom".
Sanders, 50, last made an appearance in the saddle in 2016, retiring nine years after finishing as joint-winner of the Flat jockeys' title with Jamie Spencer.
The popular Sky Sports Racing pundit, who also now operates as a work rider for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby in Newmarket, sought the assistance of the IJF earlier this year after his wife was hospitalised with a neurological disorder, further complicated by a Covid diagnosis.
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Sanders will make his first appearance in the annual charity race on the opening day of Doncaster's St Leger Festival, featuring alongside the likes of Grand National winner Sam Waley-Cohen and Kieren Fallon.
Explaining his motivation for signing up, Sanders told Sky Sports Racing: "The IJF [Injured Jockeys' Fund] have got a really important place in my heart. If they ask me to do anything, I'll do as much as I can.
"My wife went into hospital at the end of January. She'd got a condition called Transverse Myelitis and she basically went paralysed from the chest down.
"She got moved into a Covid ward after catching Covid and normally people get released after 10 days but two weeks later she was still in there and I hadn't seen her for two weeks.
"I was at rock-bottom because my wife was getting worse and I just didn't know what to do. On the way back from Addenbrooke's [Hospital], I thought 'what the hell', I'll come into the IJF and if they say there's nothing they can do, I haven't wasted my time.
"I came in and they said they could help. Things got moving quick then and within a week the whole team here all rallied around.
"It was nice for someone to help. I had done everything on my own and it was nice. I'm pretty good at fighting and stamping my feet and banging my fist. But I really needed help and this place was unbelievable. As much as I can give back to this place, the better."
On the race itself, Sanders remains as competitive as ever, with his sights set on beating fellow Flat legend Fallon.
"I don't need motivation for the ride, all I want to do is win," Sanders said. "Hopefully, [Kieren] Fallon will be in the race and as long as I finish in front of him I don't care!
"I'm really looking forward to it and it'll be nice to get back on a horse and get out of the stalls. The hunger still burns in me every day and it'll be nice to have another belt at it."