George Barrett

Colin George Barrett (always known as George) was born at Nut Tree Farm, Fressingfield Road, Metfield, Suffolk on May 29th 1863. 

He became apprenticed to W.H.Manser at Cadland House, Newmarket. His first ever ride in public came on the mare Titania in the Peel Handicap at Huntingdon in July 1877, finishing second last. His first win (at the age of 14) came on the same horse at the September meeting of the now-defunct Kingsbury racecourse. At 6/1, George – a complete novice - beat Burlington by a short head. The latter was ridden by the great Charles Wood, so it was no mean feat. In the opening event on the following day, George struck again, this time on Fidelis in the Hendon Handicap plate. However, with so many talented youngsters riding in evidence, this achievement did not attract the attention that in another time it might. Consequently, it took another two years before he began riding fairly regularly and first made his appearance in the list of winning jockeys. 

George’s first win of real significance came on Wednesday, September 29th 1880 aboard Fire King at Newmarket in the Great Eastern Railway Handicap. The 8/1 shot won by an easy two lengths, the colt’s only victory that season in nine outings. It was to be another five years, however, before he rode his first Classic winner. Wearing the Duke of Westminster’s famous colours - yellow, black cap – he won the 1885 1,000 Guineas on the 20/1 outsider Farewell in a field of 15.  

In 1886. Fred Archer was claimed for Saraband, leaving the unbeaten Ormonde without a jockey for the Two Thousand Guineas. George was entrusted to ride and duly disposed of the field without breaking a sweat. The year was to turn out one of his best; along the way, he collected the Chester Cup, the Great Cheshire Handicap, the Dee Stakes and the Epsom Grand Prize. He also rode Ormonde to another victory, this time in the Hardwicke Stakes at Ascot, Archer once again being claimed to ride Melton. There was another reason why this season was so memorable. George ran up a remarkable sequence of eight wins on Carlton, which included the Manchester November Handicap. Carrying just two pounds short of ten stone, the great horse won by a head, a victory which most observers agreed was in great measure due to George’s powerful and determined finish. Carlton was then retired to stud but proved useless. 

1891 could arguably be cited as his best year. He landed the triple crown on Common – not a horse of the highest calibre - plus the Portland, the Champagne Stakes, the Middle Park and the Goodwood Cup, among many others. He finished second in the jockeys' table, just 4 winners behind Mornington Cannon. 

The next year, 1892, saw George ride his greatest number of wins in a single season and it was a bitter disappointment that Mornington Cannon still beat him to the jockey’s title by 28. George never became champion jockey. In the list of leading jockeys, he came second four times, third five times and fourth on three other occasions.

1892 was also the year that George was aboard the hot Derby favourite, La Fleche. History books agree that he gave her the most diabolical of rides behind rank outsider Sir Hugo (40/1), but this is not borne out by the evidence. George had the filly in an ideal position throughout and it is unlikely that her defeat was brought about by the want of jockeyship. Two days later La Fleche ran in the Oaks, again with George in the saddle. In a tremendous, driving finish, he got the filly home by a short-head. 

Carrying 8 stone 10 pounds, La Fleche subsequently won the Cambridgeshire, but, at the end of the year, George’s contract with Kingsclere stable was terminated.

That same year, at Portsmouth Park on November 10th, George Barrett and Mornington Cannon were involved in a farcical match, somewhat hastily arranged in an effort to boost the crowds. George was to ride Buccaneer, whose six victories that season included the Ascot Gold Cup and the City & Suburban Handicap. Mornington was put aboard Nunthorpe, who was also a previous winner of the City & Suburban plus the Jubilee Handicap.  The prize – winner take all – was £500. Idiotically, the Portsmouth Park racecourse executives hadn’t taken into account of the clash with Liverpool’s November Meeting, which killed the attendance. Just a handful of people turned up to watch the Buccaneer annihilate his opponent – Nunthorpe, feeling the effects of a hard season, could barely raise a gallop. Buccaneer, made favourite at 4/5, cantered to a twenty lengths win.

At the beginning of 1894, George’s health began to fail.

Suffering from diabetes, George Barrett died at Ratcliff house at 3 p.m. on 25th Feb 1898. He was 34.

To his widow Florence Mary Barrett, he left £42,643. 7s. 3d.

The Family:

George’s father, John, born is 1836, was originally a farmer. As a widower in 1881, he became the landlord of The Fox and Bull at 5, Albert Gate, Knightsbridge, London. It did not work out and, a few years later at the age of 55, he was a lodger at 78 Clapham Road, Lambeth, London. On 24th April 1893, at St Jude’s, South Kensington, he remarried (Edith Richardson).

George’s mother was Sarah Anne Barrett (nee Godbold). She was born in Metfield, where she spent her entire life.

George had five brothers: George Colin, Herman Edward, Benjamin, Chester and Frederick George.

He also had two sisters: Ellen Elizabeth and Amelia Sarah Ann.

George married local Metfield girl Florence Mary Harrison at Ripon Yorkshire in 1886.

Biggest wins:

1885:  1,000 Guineas - Farewell

1885:  Goodwood Cup - Althorp

1886:  Chester Cup - Eastern Emperor

1886:  2,000 Guineas - Ormonde

1887:  Chester Cup - Carlton

1888:  Middle Park - Friar's Balsam

1887:  Goodwood Cup - Savile

1888:  Champion Stakes - Frair's Balsam

1889:  Middle Park - Signorina

1890:  Royal Hunt Cup - Morion

1890:  Stewards Cup -  Marvel

1891:  Champion Stakes - Orion

1891:  Stewards Cup - Gonsalvo

1891:  Chester Cup - Vasistas

1891:  2,000 Guineas - Common

1891:  The Deby - Common

1891:  St Leger - Common

1891:  Stewards Cup - Mazurka

1891:  Middle Park - Orme

1891:  Dewhurst Stakes - Orme

1892:  The Oaks - La Fleche

1892:  Cambridgeshire - La Fleche

1892:  Champion Stakes - Orme

1892:  1,000 Guineas - La Fleche

1892:  Eclipse Stakes - Orme

1892:  Ascot Gold Cup - Buccaneer

1893:  Goodwood Cup - Barmecide