Article by Chas Hammond
George Thomas Cook – sometimes spelt as Cooke – was born at St Mary Cray, in Kent, circa 1851. His father was a coachman who moved his family to Sussex soon afterwards.
He was a successful jockey who was also allowed to train whilst riding. He rode 50 winners in 1875 and won the 1873 Ayr Gold Cup on a horse named Lord Derby.
He moved to France in 1879 and continued his successful career there.
