Born on November 23, 1928, Tommy Foran served his apprenticeship with John Kerwin in Ireland from February 1945 until May 1950. He rode his first winner on Astra in the Drogheda Tradesmen’s Handicap Chase at Bellewstown on June 30, 1947.
His apprenticeship at an end, Tommy came to ride in Britain. Based in the north and still able to claim the 7lb allowance, he began with Grantshouse trainer Stewart Wight and got off the mark at Carlisle on Easter Monday, March 26, 1951, aboard Morocco Boy in the Southwaite Handicap Chase. Five days later he rode Bachelor’s Folly to win a Sedgefield selling chase, resulting in his claim being reduced to 5lb.
He went on to ride a total of 45 winners over the next ten years without ever reaching double figures for a season, achieving a best score of eight in the 1959/60 campaign. He recorded his biggest success on 25-1 outsider Arnicus in the Grand National Trial Chase at Catterick on February 22, 1958. That same season he won a £1,000 chase at Doncaster on Samudra for trainer Dick Curran.
Tommy rated Uncle Isaac, on whom he won four chases within the space of a month in the spring of 1960, as the best he rode. He won on him at Newcastle in mid-March, followed up in the Hamilton-Campbell Challenge Cup at Ayr at the start of April, then scored on the Saturday and Monday of Carlisle’s two-day Easter meeting.
The following month, Tommy married Hazel Smith
Tommy’s last winner was Master Perie who dead-heated with Johnnie East’s mount Victory Day for the Stayers’ Novices’ Chase at Catterick on February 18, 1961, although he continued to hold a licence until the 1965/66 season.
During the latter years in the saddle, Tommy combined riding with his role as landlord of the Bay Horse Inn in Catterick village.
Tommy Foran died on June 24, 1992, aged 63.