George McGrath

George McGrath

1943-2022

Born in Lucan, County Dublin, on January 28, 1943, George Francis McGrath was twice champion jockey in Ireland and also a champion apprentice.

He joined Summerseat, Co Meath trainer Kevin Kerr as an apprentice in 1958 and soon made an impression, riding eight winners from 39 mounts in 1960, his first season, the first of which was Restore in the Raheny Apprentices’ Maiden Plate at Baldoyle on June 4, 1960.

He rode out his 7lb claim when winning on the Kerr-trained Royal Buck at Phoenix Park on May 27, 1961, then rode his first as a 5lb claimer on Orofino, also for Kerr, at Mullingar four days later.

He secured his first big race victory when guiding Royal Buck to a two-length success in the Henessy Handicap at Phoenix Park on August 9, 1961, finishing the season as Ireland’s champion apprentice with a score of 25 winners from 133 mounts.

In 1962 he partnered 33 winners from 190 mounts, making him Ireland’s champion apprentice for a second time and placing him fourth overall in the jockeys’ table. His major wins that year included Down Royal’s Lyle and Kinahan Tuborg Trophy on El Paso; Phoenix Park’s Enniskillen Stakes and Phoenix Stakes, both on Irish Chorus; Leopardstown’s Sugar Loaf Handicap on Honour Bound; and the Curragh’s Rockingham Handicap on Lady Courine; all of them trained by Kevin Kerr.

George rode 24 winners from 214 mounts in 1963, including the Harp Handicap at Dundalk on Celtic Park and the Birdcatcher Nursery at Naas on Arms Park, both for Kevin Kerr, and the Trigo Stakes at the Curragh on the Vincent O’Brien-trained Ashavan.

He posted 28 wins from 233 mounts in 1964, highlighted by victories in the Ballymoss Stakes on Ballyrowan for Paddy Norris and the Anglesey Stakes on Green Banner for Kevin Kerr. He then became stable jockey to Seamus McGrath at Glencairn, Co Dublin, in 1965 – he was no relation to the trainer, the similarity in surnames being purely coincidental – and won the first of his two Irish jockeys’ championships that year with 44 wins from 281 mounts. They included the Pretty Polly Stakes on Messene, George’s first big race success for Seamus McGrath.

Over the next thirteen years, Seamus McGrath and George McGrath would become dominant forces on the Irish racing scene, combining to land a host of Group races and providing strong rivalry to the mighty Vincent O’Brien stable. Their big winners included Bog Road, Park Lawn, Silk Buds, Poacher’s Moon and Ballad Rock.

He won four races on the brilliant Levmoss, including the Finglas Stakes and Leopardstown November Handicap in 1968, and the Leinster Stakes in September 1969 when the horse carried 10st 10lb in an astonishing prep race for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

In 1970 George rode his first Irish Classic winner, Allangrange, trained by Seamus McGrath, in the Irish St Leger, and was crowned champion jockey for the second time.

He fulfilled his greatest ambition by winning the Irish Derby in 1973 on Weavers’ Hall, owned and trained by Seamus McGrath. Following that success, Weavers’ Hall only made one more racecourse appearance, when finishing fourth to Dahlia in that year’s King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.

The following year, George won the Irish Two Thousand Guineas on Furry Glen, also trained by Seamus McGrath.

When Seamus McGrath wound down his training operation in 1978, George joined Richard Annesley’s Curragh stable. However, with the closure of Annesley’s stable a year later, he found good rides less plentiful.

He recorded a Royal Ascot victory on Cooliney Prince, trained by Paddy Prendergast Junior, in the 1980 Windsor Castle Stakes.

His forceful, bustling style continued to show him to good effect when opportunities allowed, particularly at Leopardstown, where he had few peers. In the autumn of his career in the early 1980s, he forged a successful partnership with Vincent O’Brien, which led to him winning a fourth and final Classic, the 1984 Irish Two Thousand Guineas on Sadler’s Wells, probably the best horse he rode during a long and distinguished career.

After retiring from race-riding, George served as a starter in the United Arab Emirates for several years.

He died peacefully at his home, surrounded by family, on Tuesday, July 19, 2022, aged 79. Survived by wife Aillie, George had three children, Jo-Anna, Julie and George, who serves as chief executive of the National Association of Racing Staff in Britain.

His funeral took place on Saturday, July 23, 2022 at St Mary’s Church, Lucan, followed by cremation at Newland’s Cross Crematorium.

Irish Classic winners:

St Leger: Allangrange (1970)

Derby: Weavers’ Hall (1973)

Two Thousand Guineas: Furry Glen (1974), Sadler’s Wells (1984)

Other big winners in Ireland include:

1961: Henessy Handicap – Royal Buck

1962: Lyle and Kinahan Tuborg Trophy Handicap – El Paso

1962: Enniskillen Stakes – Irish Chorus

1962: Sugar Loaf Handicap – Honour Bound

1962: Phoenix Stakes – Irish Chorus

1962: Rockingham Handicap – Lady Courine

1963: Harp Handicap – Celtic Park

1963: Birdcatcher Nursery Handicap – Arms Park

1963: Trigo Stakes – Ashavan

1964: Ballymoss Stakes – Glenrowan

1964: Anglesey Stakes – Green Banner

1965: Pretty Polly Stakes – Messene

1966: Waterford Testimonial Stakes – Desert Call

1967: Railway Stakes – Sans-Fin

1968: Finglas Stakes – Levmoss

1968: Royal Whip Stakes – Stitch

1968: Leopardstown November Handicap - Levmoss

1969: Vauxhall Stakes – Santamoss

1969: Silken Glider Stakes – French Score

1969: Park Stakes – Royal Words

1969: Leinster Stakes – Levmoss

1970: Vauxhall Stakes – Illa Laudo

1970: Silken Glider Stakes – Ballet Francais

1971: Phoenix Stakes – Celtic Twilight

1971: Silken Glider Stakes – Elite

1972: Gallinule Stakes – Bog Road

1972: Railway Stakes – Park Lawn

1973: Whitehall Stakes – Bog Road

1973: Silken Glider Stakes – Silk Buds

1973: Park Stakes – Silk Buds

1974: National Stakes – Reap The Wind

1974: Ballymoss Stakes – Bog Road

1974: Whitehall Stakes – Furry Glen

1974: Park Stakes – Small World

1976: Tetrarch Stakes – Poacher’s Moon

1977: Silken Glider Stakes – Dolly Dewdrop

1978: Greenlands Stakes – Ballad Rock

1978: Matt Gallagher Sprint – Ballad Rock

1980: Windsor Castle Stakes – Cooliney Prince

1980: Joe McGrath Memorial Stakes – Gregorian

1980: Beresford Stakes – Euclid

1981: Vauxhall Stakes – Cooliney Prince

1984: Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial Stakes – Sadler’s Wells

1984: Park Stakes – Jolly Saint