George Besant Sr.

1879-1952

Article by Alan Trout

George Bezant Snr is one of the few jockeys whose only win was the result of a dead-heat. He is also high on the list of those riders with the longest gap between their first ride and their first – in this case, only- win. 

George was apprenticed to William Waugh and had his first ride at Liverpool on March 26, 1897, finishing unplaced on Santa Stella in the Hylton Handicap. However, he only had a few rides that year and then departed for France. 

He returned with his son, also named George, as refugees during World War One and resumed his riding career. His sole win came at Newmarket on July 5, 1916 when his mount Mazboot could not be separated from Bayard, ridden by Vic Smyth, at the end of the Soham Plate. According to the form book result, Mazboot was “unlucky” not to have won outright. 

It was but a brief comeback. His final ride in England was on Declaim, who finished unplaced in the Two-Year-Old Maiden Stakes (Division II) at Newbury the following month, August 12, 1916.

George Bezant died in 1952. His son, George Bezant Jnr, went on to ride over 60 winners, including the 1934 Irish Derby, in a career that lasted for over 20 years.