George Jarvis
George Jarvis
George Jarvis
Article by Alan Trout
Article by Alan Trout
George Jarvis does not appear to have been immediately related to the famous Jarvis family of trainers, namely William Jarvis (1852-1921) and his sons William Jnr (born 1885), Basil (born 1886) and John (better known as Jack, born in 1887). Nor is he mentioned in the latter’s 1969 autobiography ‘They’re Off’.
George Jarvis does not appear to have been immediately related to the famous Jarvis family of trainers, namely William Jarvis (1852-1921) and his sons William Jnr (born 1885), Basil (born 1886) and John (better known as Jack, born in 1887). Nor is he mentioned in the latter’s 1969 autobiography ‘They’re Off’.
George Jarvis was born a few years before those three Jarvis siblings, around 1879. He rode one winner on the Flat and then had four over jumps in the first years of the 20th century.
George Jarvis was born a few years before those three Jarvis siblings, around 1879. He rode one winner on the Flat and then had four over jumps in the first years of the 20th century.
His sole success on the Flat came at Leicester on October 7, 1897, when riding Eau Gallie to win the Mile Plate. Immediately behind him that day were two of the top jockeys of the period. Former champion Charlie Wood was second on Draco, beaten three-quarters of a length, and future champion Sam Loates was third on Javelin. According to The Sportsman newspaper, George was the “boy who always rides Eau Gallie in his work, and was entrusted with the handling of him,” which he did in no uncertain manner.
His sole success on the Flat came at Leicester on October 7, 1897, when riding Eau Gallie to win the Mile Plate. Immediately behind him that day were two of the top jockeys of the period. Former champion Charlie Wood was second on Draco, beaten three-quarters of a length, and future champion Sam Loates was third on Javelin. According to The Sportsman newspaper, George was the “boy who always rides Eau Gallie in his work, and was entrusted with the handling of him,” which he did in no uncertain manner.
Despite that promising start, George had no more wins on the Flat, his future triumphs all coming under National Hunt rules. The first of those was at the Isle of Wight meeting on April 26, 1900, when walking over on Jack Pot for the County Chase. Jack Pot turned out again the following day in the Hunt Cup, ridden this time by Grand National-winning jockey Bill Dollery, and finished alone, as his two rivals failed to complete the course. That effort evidently took little out of Jack Pot, for he turned out again in the next race, with George aboard and was again faced by just two rivals, but this time it was his turn to fall.
Despite that promising start, George had no more wins on the Flat, his future triumphs all coming under National Hunt rules. The first of those was at the Isle of Wight meeting on April 26, 1900, when walking over on Jack Pot for the County Chase. Jack Pot turned out again the following day in the Hunt Cup, ridden this time by Grand National-winning jockey Bill Dollery, and finished alone, as his two rivals failed to complete the course. That effort evidently took little out of Jack Pot, for he turned out again in the next race, with George aboard and was again faced by just two rivals, but this time it was his turn to fall.
His next success was not until December 2, 1901, when Ballywalter won the Haslam Maiden Selling Hurdle at Southwell by a neck from Mazawattee, the mount of Frank Codd.
His next success was not until December 2, 1901, when Ballywalter won the Haslam Maiden Selling Hurdle at Southwell by a neck from Mazawattee, the mount of Frank Codd.
The three-year-old Buck Palm provided George with the last two wins of his career, firstly in the Maiden Selling Hurdle at Southwell on October 14, 1902, and then in the Tredegar Hurdle at Newport on November 14 that year, beating Wootton Wood, ridden by former champion jockey Mr Herbert Sidney, by a head on the latter occasion. Buck Palm ran on both days of Lingfield Park’s December meeting, with George aboard each time, finishing runner-up on the second occasion.
The three-year-old Buck Palm provided George with the last two wins of his career, firstly in the Maiden Selling Hurdle at Southwell on October 14, 1902, and then in the Tredegar Hurdle at Newport on November 14 that year, beating Wootton Wood, ridden by former champion jockey Mr Herbert Sidney, by a head on the latter occasion. Buck Palm ran on both days of Lingfield Park’s December meeting, with George aboard each time, finishing runner-up on the second occasion.
Although George had some rides in 1903, there were no more wins, his last mount being at Wolverhampton on December 29, when finishing fourth on Victor Gay in the Brewood Hurdle.
Although George had some rides in 1903, there were no more wins, his last mount being at Wolverhampton on December 29, when finishing fourth on Victor Gay in the Brewood Hurdle.
It is likely that he was related in some way to the Jarvis training family (a cousin, perhaps?), as both Ballywalter and Buck Palm were trained by William Jarvis, father of the three successful trainers.
It is likely that he was related in some way to the Jarvis training family (a cousin, perhaps?), as both Ballywalter and Buck Palm were trained by William Jarvis, father of the three successful trainers.
George Jarvis's sole win on the Flat came on Eau Gallie at Leicester, October 7, 1897