The son of a cattle dealer, George Elfred Cadwaladr was born in Chester on December 15, 1945.
Being small and light, he set his sights on becoming a jockey. He initially joined George Owen’s National Hunt yard at Malpas, but after six months there, Owen arranged for him to serve the remainder if his apprenticeship with Eric Cousins where there would be better opportunities. He was apprenticed to Cousins between 1962 and 1967.
His first ride was on Krawin, who trailed in a well-beaten last of four in the Corporation Maiden Plate at Birmingham on September 4, 1962.
George tasted success for the first time when guiding the Cousins-trained Barnie Seton to a one-length victory in the six-furlong Jonquill Handicap at Liverpool on June 5, 1963.
He enjoyed his first big race triumph when still a 3lb claimer on Kamandu, trained by Cousins in the 1965 Ayr Gold Cup.
His best season came in 1966 when his 31 winners included a Royal Ascot double with Roughlyn in the King’s Stand Stakes and My Audrey in the Wokingham.
He finished ninth of 22 on 150-1 outsider Hang On in the 1967 Derby.
On Saturday, November 7, 1970, George switched codes and took his first mount over hurdles on the Cousins-trained Hunter’s Treasure, who had already won all his first five starts that season. The race was the sponsored Dormer Drill Handicap Hurdle and Hunter’s Treasure duly made it six in a row, making all to win easily, giving George a winning ride at his first attempt over hurdles. They followed up at Doncaster a fortnight later. Altogether, George had three wins from 13 rides in his brief fling as a jump jockey. The last of the three was on Ruthless in division two of the Wasperton Novices' Hurdle at Warwick on December 29.
Back on the Flat, George achieved another Royal Ascot success on Eric Cousins’ Cade’s County in the Norfolk Stakes. In 1973 he won Newcastle’s Gosforth Park Cup on Gold Form for Peter Easterby.
From 1976, he rode mainly abroad, recording his most important success on Surumu in the 1977 German Derby.
Biggest wins:
1965: Ayr Gold Cup – Kamandu
1966: King's Stand Stakes – Roughlyn
1966: Wokingham Stakes – My Audrey
1972: Norfolk Stakes – Cade’s County
1973: Gosforth Park Cup – Gold Form
1977: German Derby – Surumu
