Bertie Bazley

Bertie Bazley

Article by Alan Trout

Having ridden just four winners on the Flat, Bertie Bazley fared better over jumps with a dozen victories, the last six of them coming during the early months of World War Two. 

He was apprenticed to leading northern trainer Matt Peacock and had his first ride in public on a horse named Pink, who finished third in the St Quivox Maiden Apprentice Plate at Ayr on July 16, 1929, a race won by Jim Simpson on Telescriptor. Almost a year passed before Bertie had his first win when, carrying 5st 13lb (at 4lb overweight), he rode Julienne to land the Cleveland Apprentice Plate at Redcar on June 9, 1922, beating into second place Alexandra Day, the mount of future royal jockey Harry Carr, who was then sill seeking his first success. Bertie had three more winners as an apprentice, all on Cavalry Cloak, owned and trained by Matt Peacock, the last of them in 1932. 

He then took out a National Hunt jockey’s licence and registered his first success in that sphere with a spectacular 25-length victory on Icicle Joe in the Newton Handicap Hurdle at Haydock Park on November 30, 1935. Icicle Joe was the bottom weight in a field of 20, carrying just 9st 9lb. He continued to ride the occasional winner and recorded doubles at Torquay and Newton Abbot in the spring of 1940. He also finished second on Brave Me in that year’s Newent Selling Handicap Chase, the opening race of Cheltenham’s National |Hunt meeting

His double at Torquay on Easter Monday 1940 was gained on Brave Mic in the West of England Cup Handicap Chase and Pol Ploum in the Sidmouth Optional Selling Chase, both trained by Dudley Williams at Letcombe Regis. That proved to be the final day’s racing at Torquay. The grandstand, weighing room and stable block were all destroyed by Hitler’s bombs during a raid on May 30, 1943. The wrecked grandstand was in a dangerous condition and rebuilding costs were prohibitive, so the directors decided to pull it down. When racing resumed after the war, Torquay’s annual Easter meeting was transferred to nearby Newton Abbot. 

It was at Newton Abbot on Wednesday, May 8, 1940, that Bertie rode his last two winners, aboard the same two horses on which he had notched his Torquay double six weeks earlier. Brave Mic won the Newton Abbot Optional Selling Chase and Pol Ploum landed the second division of the South Devon Handicap Chase. 

Bertie Bazley was unlucky in that World War Two intervened just when his career was at its peak. He renewed his licence when National Hunt racing resumed after the war and rode until the 1947/48 season but had no more winners. 

Bertie Bazley’s winners – the first four on the Flat, the rest over jumps – were, in date order:

1. Julienne, Redcar, June 9, 1930

2. Cavalry Cloak, Redcar, May 25, 1931

3. Cavalry Cloak, Catterick Bridge, July 31, 1931

4. Cavalry Cloak, Beverley, June 8, 1932

5. Icicle Joe, Haydock Park, November 30, 1935

6. Royal Flush, Hereford, March 27, 1937

7. Adyar, Southwell, April 24, 1937

8. There He Goes, Uttoxeter, May 12, 1937

9. Prophecy, Huntingdon, May 17, 1937

10. Brave Mic, Devon & Exeter, May 6, 1939

11. Brave Mic, Devon & Exeter, August 31, 1939

12. Brave Mic, Windsor, March 16, 1940

13. Brave Mic, Torquay, March 25, 1940

14. Pol Ploum, Torquay, March 25, 1940

15. Brave Mic, Newton Abbot, May 8, 1940

16. Pol Ploum, Newton Abbot, May 8, 1940