George Beardsley

George Beardsley

Article by Alan Trout

George Beardsley rode one winner in England in a career that lasted less than three years, all of it during the First World War. 

He served his apprenticeship with Billy Halsey, who had been one of the most successful dual-purpose jockeys of all time and now trained at Moulton Paddocks, Newmarket.

George’s first ride came at Newmarket on April 11, 1916, when Cicatrix finished down the field in the Visitors Plate won by Highwayside, ridden by Albert ‘Snowy’ Whalley. 

It did not take him long to record his first – and as it turned out, only – victory when Cicatrix won the Apprentice Plate, again at Newmarket, on June 1, 1916. The winning margin was 8 lengths. 

Cicatrix ran just once more, finishing unplaced with George up, before being sent to India. Both Cicatrix and Moulton Paddocks were owned by the multi-millionaire Sir Ernest Cassel. 

George had a few more mounts but met with no success. His final ride was just a few days before the First World War ended when he rode an unnamed two-year-old in the Cowlinge Maiden Selling Stakes at Newmarket on October 31, 1918. The horse finished unplaced in the race, which was won by Elijah Wheatley on Irish King.

George Beardsley held a professional jockey’s licence for the 1920 season but does not appear to have had any rides in England, choosing, instead, to compete in Egypt, where he finished 8th in the jockeys' table for 1920-21 with 23 winners.