George Bridgland (26 February 1915 - July 1997) was a French, triple
British Classic
The British Classics are five long-standing Group 1 horse races run during the traditional flat racing season. They are restricted to three-year-old horses and traditionally represent the pinnacle of achievement for racehorses against their o ...
-winning
jockey
A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...
, and St Leger and Arc de Triomphe winning trainer.
He was born George Albert Richard Bridgland to British parents in France on 26 February 1915.
His riding career lasted from 1928 to 1948. Pre-war, he was a leading jockey in his native France, becoming runner-up in the French Jockeys' Championship in 1936. Then, due to the Second World War, he relocated to England, where he won three Classics. The first two were wartime races - the 1941 St Leger on
Sun Castle
Sun Castle (1938 – March 1942) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse who raced during World War II and was best known for winning the classic St Leger in 1941. After showing promise as a two-year-old he finished third in the 2000 Guineas the ...
Hycilla
Hycilla (1941 – 1953) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare, who raced during World War II and was best known for winning the classic Oaks Stakes in 1944. Unraced as a juvenile, she finished second on her three-year-old debut b ...
. The third was the 1947 Derby, the first to be held on a Saturday, which he won on unfancied outsider
Pearl Diver
Pearl hunting, also known as pearling, is the activity of recovering pearls from wild molluscs, usually oysters or mussels, in the sea or freshwater. Pearl hunting was prevalent in the Persian Gulf region and Japan for thousands of years. On the ...
Tudor Minstrel
Tudor Minstrel (1944–1971) was a British-bred Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. In a career which lasted from the spring of 1946 until September 1947 he ran ten times and won eight races. He was unbeaten in four races in 1946, a year in whi ...
and denying champion jockeyGordon Richards what would have been his first Derby win.
Shortly afterwards, he began training and was similarly successful. He won the 1956 St Leger with
Derby Stakes
The Derby Stakes, also known as the Epsom Derby or the Derby, and as the Cazoo Derby for sponsorship reasons, is a Group 1 flat horse race in England open to three-year-old colts and fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs Racecourse in Surrey on ...
- ''
Pearl Diver
Pearl hunting, also known as pearling, is the activity of recovering pearls from wild molluscs, usually oysters or mussels, in the sea or freshwater. Pearl hunting was prevalent in the Persian Gulf region and Japan for thousands of years. On the ...
Hycilla
Hycilla (1941 – 1953) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare, who raced during World War II and was best known for winning the classic Oaks Stakes in 1944. Unraced as a juvenile, she finished second on her three-year-old debut b ...
Sun Castle
Sun Castle (1938 – March 1942) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse who raced during World War II and was best known for winning the classic St Leger in 1941. After showing promise as a two-year-old he finished third in the 2000 Guineas the ...