George Lee
George Frederick Lee, born in 1936, was apprenticed to Harry Wragg. However, this proved unsuccessful, and George quit racing to join the forces.
George Frederick Lee, born in 1936, was apprenticed to Harry Wragg. However, this proved unsuccessful, and George quit racing to join the forces.
He returned ten years later to ride over jumps and based himself with permit holder Frank Gilman, who trained at Morcott, near Uppingham, in the county of Rutland. At the comparatively late age of 29, George won his first race on Gilman’s Vulgan Lady in the two-mile Warsop Handicap Chase at Nottingham, May 14, 1965. His second winner came the following month, again for Gilman, on Mazener at Huntingdon on Whit Monday.
He returned ten years later to ride over jumps and based himself with permit holder Frank Gilman, who trained at Morcott, near Uppingham, in the county of Rutland. At the comparatively late age of 29, George won his first race on Gilman’s Vulgan Lady in the two-mile Warsop Handicap Chase at Nottingham, May 14, 1965. His second winner came the following month, again for Gilman, on Mazener at Huntingdon on Whit Monday.
After a slow start to the 1965/66 season, both his two winners came within the space of a week, these being Hyanna at Uttoxeter on March 19 and Gilman’s useful hurdler Lucky Harry at Worcester seven days later.
After a slow start to the 1965/66 season, both his two winners came within the space of a week, these being Hyanna at Uttoxeter on March 19 and Gilman’s useful hurdler Lucky Harry at Worcester seven days later.
The 1966/67 campaign saw George quadruple his previous scores, riding eight winners, including a Whit Monday double in the last two races at Huntingdon on Gilman’s duo Red Flush and Grilled. His final winner of that season, novice chaser Snow Vista at Stratford on June 9, was for Market Deeping trainer George Vergette who would continue to provide George with several of his future winners.
The 1966/67 campaign saw George quadruple his previous scores, riding eight winners, including a Whit Monday double in the last two races at Huntingdon on Gilman’s duo Red Flush and Grilled. His final winner of that season, novice chaser Snow Vista at Stratford on June 9, was for Market Deeping trainer George Vergette who would continue to provide George with several of his future winners.
The 1967/68 season was more successful still with 12 wins, including a brace of late season novice chases on Gilman’s Pure Blarney, a Leicester maiden hurdle success on Saint Honore for rookie trainer Johnny Kenneally, but more importantly, the two most high profile victories of his career. They were achieved within four days of each other, both on Frank Gilman’s Magic Glen, firstly in the Worcester Royal Porcelain Handicap Chase on Wednesday, April 11, 1968, and then in the “Cox Moore (Sweaters)” Handicap Chase on Market Rasen’s Easter Monday card.
The 1967/68 season was more successful still with 12 wins, including a brace of late season novice chases on Gilman’s Pure Blarney, a Leicester maiden hurdle success on Saint Honore for rookie trainer Johnny Kenneally, but more importantly, the two most high profile victories of his career. They were achieved within four days of each other, both on Frank Gilman’s Magic Glen, firstly in the Worcester Royal Porcelain Handicap Chase on Wednesday, April 11, 1968, and then in the “Cox Moore (Sweaters)” Handicap Chase on Market Rasen’s Easter Monday card.
The next two seasons were numerically the most successful of George’s career, both yielding 17 winners. The 1968/69 campaign got off to a good start with two early wins on Harry Wharton’s top of the ground novice chaser What A Boy, included a Leicester double on November 26 on Frank Gilman’s pair Purely Blarney and Sea Empress, an Easter Monday Huntingdon double for George Vergette on Grey Imp and the useful chaser King Of Diamonds, and a rare southern winner on Derek Leslie’s hurdler Carrymore at Kempton Park.
The next two seasons were numerically the most successful of George’s career, both yielding 17 winners. The 1968/69 campaign got off to a good start with two early wins on Harry Wharton’s top of the ground novice chaser What A Boy, included a Leicester double on November 26 on Frank Gilman’s pair Purely Blarney and Sea Empress, an Easter Monday Huntingdon double for George Vergette on Grey Imp and the useful chaser King Of Diamonds, and a rare southern winner on Derek Leslie’s hurdler Carrymore at Kempton Park.
An opening day of the season win on George Vergette’s novice chaser Clear Note at Market Rasen kicked off 1969/70 in good style. George also scored on Vergette’s promising hurdler Honest Lawyer at Huntingdon, achieved back-to-back wins on Gilman’s chaser Sea Empress, and finished the season with a Whit Monday Huntingdon double on Frank Barton’s selling chaser Peter’s Town and the David Dartnall-trained hurdler Asad-Ul-Mulk.
An opening day of the season win on George Vergette’s novice chaser Clear Note at Market Rasen kicked off 1969/70 in good style. George also scored on Vergette’s promising hurdler Honest Lawyer at Huntingdon, achieved back-to-back wins on Gilman’s chaser Sea Empress, and finished the season with a Whit Monday Huntingdon double on Frank Barton’s selling chaser Peter’s Town and the David Dartnall-trained hurdler Asad-Ul-Mulk.
While the 1970/71 season brought only ten winners, George was by now riding for a good number of trainers. They included Jim Leigh, who got him off to another good start with August successes on novice chaser Eagle’s Nest at Market Rasen and Southwell, and Walter Wharton for whom George rode a Boxing Day Huntingdon winner on a promising novice chaser named Princess Camilla. That season also included what George rated as the highlight of his career, a treble at Leicester on March 22, 1971, initiated by handicap chaser Soho Sol and completed by Frank Gilman’s duo Wish Me Well and Sea Empress.
While the 1970/71 season brought only ten winners, George was by now riding for a good number of trainers. They included Jim Leigh, who got him off to another good start with August successes on novice chaser Eagle’s Nest at Market Rasen and Southwell, and Walter Wharton for whom George rode a Boxing Day Huntingdon winner on a promising novice chaser named Princess Camilla. That season also included what George rated as the highlight of his career, a treble at Leicester on March 22, 1971, initiated by handicap chaser Soho Sol and completed by Frank Gilman’s duo Wish Me Well and Sea Empress.
By now aged 35, George was beginning to consider a life after racing. His score dropped to just two in 1971/72, both of them on George Vergette’s novice hurdler Complacent, at Catterick on December 22 and Towcester on January 20. He rode what was to be his final winner on Vergette’s Gin Fizz in a Wills Premier Chase qualifier at Doncaster on Saturday, October 21, 1972.
By now aged 35, George was beginning to consider a life after racing. His score dropped to just two in 1971/72, both of them on George Vergette’s novice hurdler Complacent, at Catterick on December 22 and Towcester on January 20. He rode what was to be his final winner on Vergette’s Gin Fizz in a Wills Premier Chase qualifier at Doncaster on Saturday, October 21, 1972.
He retired in 1973, having ridden a total of 71 winners, and became a full-time farrier.
He retired in 1973, having ridden a total of 71 winners, and became a full-time farrier.