George T. D. Moore

Horseracing personalities infobox
name = George Moore


caption =
occupation = Jockey / Trainer
birth date = 5 July 1923
birthplace = Mackay, Queensland
death date = 8 January 2008
deathplace = Sydney
career wins = 2,278
race = Sydney Cup (1946, 1966, 1968)
Australian Derby (1949, 1957, 1962, 1963, 1971)
Doncaster Handicap (1948, 1966, 1971)
VRC Oaks (1952 )
AJC Oaks (1953, 1969, 1971)
Cox Plate (1957, 1958)
Victoria Derby (1957, 1971)
Eclipse Stakes (1959)
Epsom Handicap (1961, 1966)
Golden Slipper Stakes (1970, 1971)
Newmarket Handicap (1970, 1971)

International race wins:
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (1959)
2,000 Guineas (1959, 1967)
Prix du Jockey Club (1960)
Ascot Gold Cup (1960)
Epsom Derby (1967)
1,000 Guineas (1967)
King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (1967)
awards = BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year (1967)
Sydney Jockeys' Premierships (10)
Australian Racing Hall of Fame (2001)
Australia Post Australian Legends (2007)
As a trainer:
Hong Kong Training Premierships (11)
honours = Sport Australia Hall of Fame (1986)
George Moore Medal (1998)
Australian Racing Hall of Fame (2001)
Australia Post Australian Legends (2007)
horses = Redcraze, Baguette, Fairy Walk, Tulloch
Royal Palace, Saint Crespin, Fleet, Taboun, Sheshoon, Charlottesville
updated = CURRENTTIME, CURRENTDAYNAME CURRENTMONTHNAME CURRENTDAY CURRENTYEAR (UTC)

George Thomas Donald Moore OBE (5 July 1923 – 8 January 2008) was an Australian jockey and thoroughbred horse trainer. He began his career in racing in 1939 in Brisbane where he quickly became one of the top apprentice jockeys and where in 1943 he won the Senior Jockeys' Premiership. He then relocated to Sydney and in 1949 went to work for trainer Tommy J. Smith with whom he would have considerable success.

In 1957 and 1958 George Moore won the Jockeys' Premiership at Sydney then in 1959 accepted an offer to ride in Europe for trainer/owner Alec Head of Haras du Quesnay and another major owner, Prince Aly Khan. There, he won two of the French Classic Races, the Prix du Jockey Club and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, as well as a British Classic Race, the 2,000 Guineas. Returning to Sydney, Moore continued to win Jockeys' Premierships and in 1967 returned for a time to compete in Europe for trainer Noel Murless where he won three more British Classics, the 1,000 Guineas, a second 2,000 Guineas, and his biggest win of all in British racing, the 1967 Epsom Derby.

In Australia, George Moore won numerous of the country's top races and was the jockey aboard Tulloch for nineteen of the Hall of Fame horse's thirty-six wins. He retired from riding in 1971 having won 312 metropolitan stakes and a record 119 Group One races. He then turned his talents to training, first in France, then in Australia and for thirteen seasons in Hong Kong where, between 1973 and 1985, he won the training premiership eleven times.

After the 1985 racing season George Moore retired to the Gold Coast. One of the most honoured men in Australian Thoroughbred racing history, he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1972 [ [http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=1109063&search_type=simple&showInd=true It's an Honour] ] and in 1986 was inducted into the newly created Sport Australia Hall of Fame. In December 1998, Sydney Racing authorities created the George Moore Medal, to be given annually to the most outstanding jockey competing in Sydney. Moore was part of the 2001 inaugural class inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame. In 2007, Australia Post placed his image on a postage stamp as part of its "Australian Legends" series.

He died in Sydney on 8 January 2008 [ [http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/01/09/2134438.htm Champion jockey Moore dies] ] .

A racing family

George Moore's eldest son John worked as his assistant before going out on his own. John Moore carved out a successful career, winning five training titles in Hong Kong and in 2005 broke Brian Kan's record for most career wins by a trainer in Hong Kong racing. Recently he received international attention as the trainer of the world-ranked Viva Pataca.

Another son, Gary W. Moore, was a successful jockey who won seven Hong Kong riding championships. He also rode in Europe where his wins included the 1981 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Gold River. In 1988, he rode the filly Ravinella to victory in the British Classic, the 1,000 Guineas, plus the French Poule d'Essai des Pouliches. Like his father, Gary Moore also turned to training after his riding career was over and in Taipa has twice won the Hong Kong Macau Trophy as champion trainer.

George Moore's son-in-law Peter Leyshan was a Sydney-based jockey for twenty years and won the Gold Coast Racing Club's riding title in 1992 and 1993. After his riding career was over, he too turned to training, starting out as Moore's assistant. In 1996 Peter Leyshan took out a trainer's licence with the Macau Jockey Club and has won the Hong Kong Macau Trophy as a Macau champion trainer.

Retired French jockey Philippe Paquet is a former son-in-law.

References

* [http://www.racingmuseum.com.au/ Australian Racing Museum and Hall of Fame Champions - George Moore]
* [http://www.sahof.org.au/hallOfFame/memberProfile/index.php?memberID=149&memberType=athlete George Moore at the Sport Australia Hall of Fame]
* [http://www1.auspost.com.au/priority/index.asp?issue_id=37&area=features&article_id=772 Australia Post Australian Legends - George Moore]
* [http://203.215.253.55/english/news/news_200501249123.htm January 24, 2005 article on Peter Leyshan at the Hong Kong Jockey Club]