George Stothard

George Stothard

Article by Alan Trout

Born in 1906, George Stothard rode two winners over jumps before World War II, returning afterwards to add another three. 

He never claimed an allowance when riding in Britain, indicating that he started his career elsewhere. His first ride was on Billy Blind, unplaced in the Ainsty Selling Hurdle at Wetherby on November 5, 1937. It was not until May 21, 1938 that he scored for the first time when Tickle scraped home by a short head in the Selling Handicap Hurdle at Market Rasen, proving just a little too good for Percy Hinchcliffe’s mount Wentbridge. 

Sixteen days later, Whit Monday, June 6, they showed that success was no fluke by following up in the Windermere Handicap Hurdle at Cartmel by a length and a half. However, although George rode until May 30, 1939, there were no more wins before the war. 

It was at Windsor on Boxing Day 1945 that George resumed winning ways, and in the most dramatic fashion. There were just three runners for the Athens Selling Chase, and one of them, the outsider Roman Law, the mount of future successful trainer Cyril Mitchell, fell at the first fence. The odds-on favourite Sandown fell at the second fence but was quickly remounted. At the fourth fence from home both Sandown and George’s mount, Never Mind II, refused four times. They both returned to the paddock but George and Never Mind II were sent out again to retrace their steps, and although they fell two out, George remounted and they eventually crossed the line. For the 13-year-old winner, owned and trained by Victor Brunt, it was an eventful first race under National Hunt rules. Peter Wood took over in the saddle for the gelding’s three subsequent starts, which yielded one third place.  

More than a year elapsed before George won another race, but at Wye on May 19, 1947, Spearmint was a comfortable winner of the Chilham Selling Handicap Chase, beating Ben Lay on Satnac by six lengths. 

George then missed a couple of seasons but did return, and at Newton Abbot on September 6, 1952 had his final victory when Harvest Moon, owned and trained by Frank Speakman at Tarporley, in Cheshire, was an equally comfortable winner of the Lustleigh Three-Year-Old Hurdle, beating John Foster on Bobby Brooke by eight lengths. This was one of the last such races in Britain to be run over the distance of a mile and a half, and all of the runners were making their debut over hurdles. George rode the winner on her next five starts, all unplaced, before she was sold. 

He trained briefly in the mid-1950s, based at Hollin Hey House, Garswood, near Ashton-in-Makerfield. He continued to take rides, the final one on Comoration, when finishing last of twelve in the Ashton Novices’ Hurdle (Division 1) at Haydock Park on February 1, 1955. 

George Stothard’s British winners were, in chronological order:

1. Tickle, Market Rasen, May 21, 1938

2. Tickle, Cartmel, June 6, 1938

3. Never Mind II, Windsor, December 26, 1945

4. Spearmint, Wye, May 19, 1947

5. Harvest Moon, Newton Abbot, September 6, 1952