Patience, so they say, is a virtue, in which case George Cracknell must have had the patience of a saint in waiting so long for his first – and only – winner.
Born at the turn of the century, George had had his first ride in public at the age of 14 and had held a jockey’s licence in 1920 once he’d completed his apprenticeship. He renewed his licence after the war but had to wait until 1952 – 38 years after his first ride – before finally opening his account.
The horse that broke the ice for 52-year-old George was named Festival of Britain, owned and trained by Jabez Barker at Stevenage. The 20/1 longshot won the Shipley Bridge Maiden Plate for three-year-olds at Lingfield Park on Thursday, August 21, 1952.
It would remain George Cracknell’s red-letter day. He rode for two more seasons but that victory on Festival of Britain was his sole success as a jockey.
