George Hulme
1899 - 1934
Embedded Files
Middleweight jockey George Hulme was born in Leeds October 8th 1899, and served an eight years' apprenticeship with Richard C. Dawson in Whatcombe, Lambourn. Off the course he was a bright, cheerful individual with a real sense of humour: once there, he became a quiet, private individual, not given to emotional outbursts however great the victory. And there were many of these.
Middleweight jockey George Hulme was born in Leeds October 8th 1899, and served an eight years' apprenticeship with Richard C. Dawson in Whatcombe, Lambourn. Off the course he was a bright, cheerful individual with a real sense of humour: once there, he became a quiet, private individual, not given to emotional outbursts however great the victory. And there were many of these.
An early big winner for George was the four-year-old chesnut colt, Royal Bucks, in the 1919 Lincolnshire Handicap. The race took place on March 26. After years of restricted "substitute" races held primarily at Newmarket, the return to the traditional Lincolnshire circuit drew a massive, jubilant crowd.
The finish of the race. Royal Bucks wins in a canter.
Stable lads watching the 1919 Lincoln
George Hulme, standing on the scales at Brighton
The 1919 Lincoln Handicap
Royal Bucks’ win was the first leg of a historic "Spring Double." Just a few days later, he would go on to win the City and Suburban Handicap at Epsom, when ridden by Steve Donoghue. George had been claimed to ride the difficult Galloper Light, which finished fifth.
Newbury September 26 1919.
The four-year-old mare Silver Bridge wins the Newbury Autumn Cup at 100-7.
George is led in on Silver Bridge
George had a particularly good 1919.
His best wins included
Lincolnshire Handicap – Royal Bucks
Lincolnshire Handicap – Royal Bucks
Payne Stakes - Galloper Light
Payne Stakes - Galloper Light
Manchester Cup – By Jingo!
Manchester Cup – By Jingo!
Ascot Gold Cup – By Jingo!
Ascot Gold Cup – By Jingo!
Grand Prix de Paris – Galloper Light
Grand Prix de Paris – Galloper Light
Newbury Autumn Cup – Silver Bridge
Newbury Autumn Cup – Silver Bridge
George & Salmon Trout on which he won the 1923 Dewhurst Stakes
The Great Jubilee Handicap 1920
Kempton May 8 1920
A furlong out, Manilardo (Joe Childs), the Manton-trained joint-favourite and a brother to the famous Gay Crusader, looked set to justify his support, until Tangiers, 100-6, ridden by George Hulme, asserted his superior stamina to win by a length. Montieth (A. Flanagan) finished third.
Thursday June 17 1920. The dramatic Ascot Gold Cup.
Photo above shows Joe Childs on Buchan (on the right) beating George Hulme on Tangiers. After the race came the following announcement:
"The Stewards, having heard the evidence of the jockeys and seen the race, have decided to disqualify Buchan for crossing and jostling Tangiers and to award the race to Tangiers."
George Hulme had won the Ascot Gold Cup the previous season (1919) on By Jingo! That race had been a landmark event, marking the first time the race was held since 1914 following the hiatus of WW1. While it was a moment of national celebration, the race itself delivered a massive upset. By Jingo! started at 100-8.
Ascot Gold Cup 1920
The stage was set for a classic showdown. Buchan, owned by Lord Astor, was the heavy favourite and the darling of the public. He was a consistent, class act looking to cement his legacy. His primary rival was Tangiers, a formidable stayer owned by Sir William Nelson.
What should have been a test of endurance over two and a half miles quickly devolved into a test of temperament.
As the field turned for home into the grueling Ascot straight, the atmosphere turned electric—and then ugly.
As Buchan made his move to take the lead, Tangiers George began to drift. The two horses locked together in a literal shoulder-to-shoulder battle.
Spectators watched in shock as the two champions repeatedly bumped and leaned into one another. It wasn't a clean sprint; it was a wrestling match at 35 miles per hour.
Buchan showed incredible grit to withstand the physical pressure, crossing the line first by a narrow margin. To the fans in the stands, it seemed like a hard-fought victory for the favourite.
By Jove!’s sire, Bayardo, was himself a legendary Gold Cup winner (1910).
Later in 1919, By Jingo!, ridden by George, won the Manchester Cup.
George enjoyed a game of cricket and often took part in charity matches organised between jockeys and other sportsman. Above, George and Steve Donoghue playing in 1922.
The Royal Ascot meeting of 1920 proved particularly lucrative for the Whatcombe jockey; apart from winning the top race he also rode Syrian Prince to victory in the Chesham Stakes, Daylight Patrol in the Waterford Stakes, Orby’s Pride in the Granville Stakes and Dunkirk in the High-weight Stakes.
The Royal Ascot meeting of 1920 proved particularly lucrative for the Whatcombe jockey; apart from winning the top race he also rode Syrian Prince to victory in the Chesham Stakes, Daylight Patrol in the Waterford Stakes, Orby’s Pride in the Granville Stakes and Dunkirk in the High-weight Stakes.
George & Galloper Light
Coming just one day after the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, the 1919 Grand Prix de Paris was a landmark event - it was the first time the race had been run since 1913. Run for a purse of 300.000 francs before an estimated 100,000 spectators, Galloper Light, trained by Joseph Cannon and ridden by George Hulme, won in commanding fashion, despite the fact that he had missed the English Classics due to a cough. A son of the legendary Sunstar, Galloper Light's racing career was eventually cut short by an injury.
George aboard 1924 Two Thousand Guineas winner Diophon.
George returns to the paddock on Diophon, having won the 116th running of the Two Thousand Guineas.
In a desperate finish in which most people thought that the runner-up, Bright Night, had just held on, the judge disagreed and gave Diophon the verdict.
In a desperate finish in which most people thought that the runner-up, Bright Night, had just held on, the judge disagreed and gave Diophon the verdict.
Diophon's win provided the legendary Aga Khan lll with the first of his many British Classic victories. A handsome chestnut, Diophon had won the Middle Park Stakes the previous season.
Diophon’s victory was a testament to his courage. Interestingly, contemporary reports from Sporting Life noted that the horse often appeared to be giving less than his full effort—an illusion created by his "oddly-set ears" that made him look distracted. However, his performance in the 1924 Guineas proved he was a real battler.
Winners of the 1922 July Stakes
George Hulme will forever be associated with the flying grey filly Mumtaz Mahal. Pitted on the gallops against a top quality stablemate – Friar’s Daughter – and giving her two stone, Mumtaz Mahal humiliated her. She went to Newmarket and, ridden by George, broke the course record in a common canter. One of the fastest fillies ever seen on a racecourse, she won the Queen Mary in a canter by 10 lengths before going on to treat her rivals in the Produce, Molecomb and Champagne Stakes, with equal disdain. Hulme rode her on each occasion.
George Hulme will forever be associated with the flying grey filly Mumtaz Mahal. Pitted on the gallops against a top quality stablemate – Friar’s Daughter – and giving her two stone, Mumtaz Mahal humiliated her. She went to Newmarket and, ridden by George, broke the course record in a common canter. One of the fastest fillies ever seen on a racecourse, she won the Queen Mary in a canter by 10 lengths before going on to treat her rivals in the Produce, Molecomb and Champagne Stakes, with equal disdain. Hulme rode her on each occasion.
Purchased by the Aga Khan III for a then-staggering 9,100 guineas, she was trained by Dick Dawson. Her two-year-old season in 1923 is still cited by historians as one of the greatest juvenile campaigns in history:
Before her debut, Dawson tested her against a proven winner named Friar’s Daughter. Mumtaz Mahal conceded 28 lbs and still won the gallop by half a furlong. Dawson famously remarked that he "nearly fell off his hack" in shoc
She made her first appearance at Newmarket in the Spring Stakes, winning by three lengths in a canter and breaking the track record.
She won the Queen Mary Stakes by an incredible 10 lengths, a performance that cemented her nickname.
She continued her dominance through the summer, winning the National Breeders' Produce Stakes, the Molecomb Stakes, and the Champagne Stakes.
Her only loss in 1923 came in her final start, the Imperial Produce Stakes at Kempton Park. On a track heavy with mud—which she hated—and carrying a heavy weight, she was narrowly beaten by a colt named Arcade.
The flying Mumtaz Mahal in 1923.
Named after an Empress of the Mughal Empire, she had a great aversion to bullocks, and would constantly chase any in the paddock with her.
Named after an Empress of the Mughal Empire, she had a great aversion to bullocks, and would constantly chase any in the paddock with her.
Mumtaz Mahal and George, winning the 1923 Queen Mary Stakes by a staggering ten lengths.
Mumtaz Mahal was by The Tetrarch - Lady Josephine. She resembled her sire, 'the spotted wonder', in her curious colouring.
In 1929, Hulme went to Hungary to ride for Herbert Reeves, whose daughter he married.
In 1929, Hulme went to Hungary to ride for Herbert Reeves, whose daughter he married.
May 17, 1934, during a routine abdominal operation, George Hulme died. He left £15,016
May 17, 1934, during a routine abdominal operation, George Hulme died. He left £15,016
Classic winner
Classic winner
Two Thousand Guineas: Diophon (1924)
Two Thousand Guineas: Diophon (1924)
Other major wins
Other major wins
1917: Stewards’ Cup – Trojan
1917: Stewards’ Cup – Trojan
1919: Lincolnshire Handicap – Royal Bucks
1919: Lincolnshire Handicap – Royal Bucks
1919: Payne Stakes (Newmarket) – Galloper Light
1919: Payne Stakes (Newmarket) – Galloper Light
1919: Manchester Cup – By Jingo
1919: Manchester Cup – By Jingo
1919: Ascot Gold Cup – By Jingo
1919: Ascot Gold Cup – By Jingo
1919: Grand Prix de Paris – Galloper Light
1919: Grand Prix de Paris – Galloper Light
1919: Newbury Autumn Cup – Silver Bridge
1919: Newbury Autumn Cup – Silver Bridge
1920: Great Jubilee Handicap – Tangiers
1920: Great Jubilee Handicap – Tangiers
1920: Newbury Summer Cup – Tangiers
1920: Newbury Summer Cup – Tangiers
1920: Ascot Gold Cup – Tangiers
1920: Ascot Gold Cup – Tangiers
1920: Chesham Stakes – Syrian Prince
1920: Chesham Stakes – Syrian Prince
1920: Granville Stakes – Orby’s Pride
1920: Granville Stakes – Orby’s Pride
1922: July Stakes – Legality
1922: July Stakes – Legality
1922: Imperial Produce Stakes – Cos
1922: Imperial Produce Stakes – Cos
1922: October Nursery Handicap (Newbury) – Brownhylda
1922: October Nursery Handicap (Newbury) – Brownhylda
1923: Queen Mary Stakes – Mumtaz Mahal
1923: Queen Mary Stakes – Mumtaz Mahal
1923: Molecomb Stakes – Mumtaz Mahal
1923: Molecomb Stakes – Mumtaz Mahal
1923: July Stakes – Diophon
1923: July Stakes – Diophon
1923: Champagne Stakes – Mumtaz Mahal
1923: Champagne Stakes – Mumtaz Mahal
1923: Dewhurst Stakes – Salmon-Trout
1923: Dewhurst Stakes – Salmon-Trout
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse