Tom George is a very recognisable name in the world of racing, mainly for his longevity in the sport, but also because he has been able to have success at a very high level throughout those years. The Gloucestershire-based trainer took out his license in 1993, working from the family farm, one where his dad previously trained hunters and point-to-point runners.
George knew he wanted to be a horse trainer, so he spent his early days working for the British Bloodstock Association, working out the finer points of a racehorse, before spending time with two big names, Francois Doumen and Martin Pipe.
Tom has over 700 winners to his name, including ten at Grade One level, ticking off wins at the three major festivals in the UK & Ireland, the Cheltenham Festival, Aintree Festival and Punchestown Festival.
Tom George Grand National Wins
Tom George has never trained a horse that has won the Grand National.
Their best finish to date was in 2015 with Saint Are ridden by Paddy Brennan who came 2nd.
Full Results
| Year | Horse | Result | Prize Money | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Double Shuffle | Fence 12 - Fell | - | Jonathan Burke |
| 2019 | Singlefarmpayment | 8 | £15,000 | Paddy Brennan |
| 2018 | Saint Are | Fence 15 - Brought Down | - | Ciaran Gethings |
| 2017 | Saint Are | 3 | £105,500 | Davy Russell |
| 2017 | Double Shuffle | Fence 29 - Pulled Up | - | Adrian Heskin |
| 2016 | Saint Are | Fence 30 - Pulled Up | - | Paddy Brennan |
| 2015 | Saint Are | 2 | £211,100 | Paddy Brennan |
| 2013 | Big Fella Thanks | Fence 8 - Unseated Rider | - | Denis O’Regan |
| 2009 | Kilbeggan Blade | Fence 21 - Pulled Up | - | Graham Lee |
| 2006 | Lord of Illusion | Fence 17 - Pulled Up | - | Jason Maguire |
| 2003 | Tremallt | 9 | - | Jason Maguire |
Near Misses in the Grand National
Tom George is yet to win a Grand National but has gone close on a couple of occasions since his first runner in the race in 2003. That was Tremallt, who would complete the course at the first time of asking, finishing 9th in 2003 when he was ridden by Jason Maguire.
After that, the big name to almost take George to Grand National success was Saint Are. The horse made his Grand National debut in 2013 for Tim Vaughan before he was moved to the George yard, where his quest for a Grand National continued.
Four further runs would come under George, making it five in total for the horse, completing in three of them, two for George, and those two were his best efforts. In 2015, under jockey Paddy Brennan, Saint Are would finish second in the Grand National behind Many Clouds.
Despite his advancing years, he would be back for more in 2017, his fourth attempt in the race and would finish third, this time ridden by Davy Russell. This horse, and these two runs in particular, have been the closest that Tom George has come to winning the Aintree Grand National.
Success at Grade One Level
Despite not landing the Grand National, George has had success at Grade One level, including at the big festivals. God’s Own won three Grade One contests for George, while The Worlds End and Black Op both recorded success at the top level at the Aintree Grand National meeting.
All of these horses have one thing in common, and that is they are from the Irish point-to-point scene, where George spotted them and recommended the purchases to his owners. Going back to his initial start in racing, George spent some time in the Bloodstock industry, and this is now becoming incredibly valuable for him, as he has the edge when it comes to picking out horses for the future.
He’s also had success in France, picking out young French recruits and bringing them to the UK shores to further their racing careers. This expertise is what has given George success year in and year out as a respected training name.