Tom Dalton
Tom Dalton
Tom Dalton
1881-1948
1881-1948
Thomas Dalton, known as Tom, was born in Newbridge Street, Ayr, on 25 March 1881, the son of a journeyman shoemaker. He was apprenticed to leading Scottish trainer John McGuigan.
Thomas Dalton, known as Tom, was born in Newbridge Street, Ayr, on 25 March 1881, the son of a journeyman shoemaker. He was apprenticed to leading Scottish trainer John McGuigan.
He had limited opportunities. Once his apprenticeship was over he held a full jockey’s licence between 1902 and 1904 but, again, had very few rides. He last appears to have been in July 17, 1903, when unplaced on Buenos Aires in the Clyde Selling Plate at Hamilton Park.
He had limited opportunities. Once his apprenticeship was over he held a full jockey’s licence between 1902 and 1904 but, again, had very few rides. He last appears to have been in July 17, 1903, when unplaced on Buenos Aires in the Clyde Selling Plate at Hamilton Park.
He remained with McGuigan’s stable but did not hold a licence from 1904 until returning under National Hunt rules in 1913. He had his ‘comeback’ ride at Manchester on February 2, 1913, when finishing ninth in the Club Selling Hurdle.
He remained with McGuigan’s stable but did not hold a licence from 1904 until returning under National Hunt rules in 1913. He had his ‘comeback’ ride at Manchester on February 2, 1913, when finishing ninth in the Club Selling Hurdle.
On April 12, 1913, he rode Bell Tor for McGuigan in the Maiden Chase at Dumfriesshire Hunt. The four-year-old was making his debut over fences. They fell and Tom did not ride again. However, it appears form John McGuigan’s 1946 autobiography ‘A Trainer’s Memories’, that the incident which ended his career in the saddle happened on the journey home rather than in the race itself.
On April 12, 1913, he rode Bell Tor for McGuigan in the Maiden Chase at Dumfriesshire Hunt. The four-year-old was making his debut over fences. They fell and Tom did not ride again. However, it appears form John McGuigan’s 1946 autobiography ‘A Trainer’s Memories’, that the incident which ended his career in the saddle happened on the journey home rather than in the race itself.
McGuigan writes: “On April 12, 1913, I ran Bell Toll at Dumfries. One of my lads named Tom Dalton rode him for me and on his way to my stables from Ayr station something frightened Bell Toll. Someone came to my house to tell me that Dalton was lying on the footpath. He had been thrown and hit the kerb, with the result that his skull was fractured. He was many weeks in hospital and on being discharged did not return to stables but went to work in a chemical factory.”
McGuigan writes: “On April 12, 1913, I ran Bell Toll at Dumfries. One of my lads named Tom Dalton rode him for me and on his way to my stables from Ayr station something frightened Bell Toll. Someone came to my house to tell me that Dalton was lying on the footpath. He had been thrown and hit the kerb, with the result that his skull was fractured. He was many weeks in hospital and on being discharged did not return to stables but went to work in a chemical factory.”
Tom Dalton died in Glasgow on July 6, 1948, aged 67.
Tom Dalton died in Glasgow on July 6, 1948, aged 67.