George Bridgland

George Bridgland

1915-1997

George Albert Richard Bridgland was born to British parents in France on February 26, 1915 and became apprenticed to D. Kalley and then R. Walton.

He rode from 1928 to 1948, and became one of the leading jockeys in France before the war. In 1936 he finished runner-up in the France Jockeys’ Championship.

He was based in England during the Second World War and won two wartime substitute Classics, the 1941 St Leger on Sun Castle and the 1944 Oaks on Hycilla.

George returned to France following its liberation but gained his greatest success as a jockey at Epsom when winning the 1947 Derby on the French-trained outsider Pearl Diver.

He retired from the saddle in 1949 and began training. He won the 1956 St Leger with Cambremer, the 1957 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes with Montaval and, in France, the 1964 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with Prince Royal. 

George Bridgland died in July 1997 aged 82.