George Morris.

George Morris

Article by Alan Trout

Having ridden a winner as an apprentice on the Flat in 1928, George Augustus Morris had to wait for nearly a decade before opening his account over jumps. During a career clearly disrupted by the war he had a further nine victories. 

Originally apprenticed to Ossie Bell, he had his first ride on Swallowort, finishing sixth of seven runners in the City Bowl, a race for apprentices, at Salisbury on May 19, 1927. It was at York that he gained his sole success on the Flat when Pommaria narrowly beat Marjungo, ridden by future leading jump jockey Sean Magee, to land the Apprentice Plate on September 26, 1928, by a head. He had his last ride on the Flat in 1930, by which time his indentures had been transferred to Tom Rimell. 

George had his first ride under National Hunt rules when Bird Of Prey finished unplaced in the Saltdean Selling Hurdle at Plumpton on November 13, 1927. His initial success came a few months later in the season, at Wye on March 17, 1938, when Blasé landed the Ashford Selling Handicap Chase, beating London League, the mount of Tommy Elder, by a comfortable six lengths. Trained by ‘Towser’ Gosden, Blasé had been ridden by George in his two starts that season, which had yielded only one fourth place.

More than 18 months elapsed before George had another winner, although he did pass the post first at Kelso on May 2, 1939, but his mount, the five-year-old Luron, was thrown out as his trainer was a disqualified person. 

In the autumn of 1939, George struck up a useful partnership with Findon trainer Bob Gore and rode three of his horses to victory. 

After the war he had six more wins, the last four coming in the space of 18 days in September 1946. On September 23 he rode a double at Fontwell Park, the second of which was a three-length victory on Ur in the Amberley Handicap Hurdle. It was his third success on the five-year-old and also the last of his career. Ur was also his final ride when unplaced in the Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle at Plumpton on Easter Saturday, March 27, 1948. 

George Morris’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Pommaria, York, September 26, 1928

2. Blasé, Wye, March 17, 1938

3. Vauxgar, Gatwick, December 14, 1939

4. Landowner, Plumpton, December 16, 1939

5. Carriganore, Windsor, March 16, 1940

6. Ur, Newton Abbot, May 8, 1946 

7. Ur, Newton Abbot, May 31, 1946 

8. Desmond Morgan, Newton Abbot, September 5, 1946

9. Glen Cottage, Folkestone, September 9, 1946

10. Glen Cottage, Fontwell Park, September 23, 1946

11. Ur, Fontwell Park, September 23, 1946