Thomas Horseman

Thomas Horseman

Article by Alan Trout

Was there ever a more appropriately-named jockey than Thomas Horseman? With a surname like that he deserved to succeed as a rider. In the event, however, his success was but fleeting. Although he made a promising start with a winner on his first ride in public, his career lasted for less than a year.

Apprenticed to leading trainer Robert (Bob) Armstrong at Penrith, Thomas’s first ride was for Lord Lonsdale, a patron of Armstrong’s stable for half a century. His mount was Daragame, who came with a late run to win the Craigie Maiden Handicap at Ayr on July 19, 1910 by a head from Hechman, ridden by former champion jockey Elijah Wheatley. The Sportsman, a contemporary newspaper of the Sporting Life, wrote of a “cleverly ridden” winner and predicted that Thomas and David Fisher, who had recorded his first success in the apprentices’ race at Ayr the previous day, were both “promising lads”. Fisher never rode another winner.

Eleven days later at Ripon, Thomas scored his second success when Buxom Girl took the Innkeepers’ Selling Handicap by a neck from Rata, the mount of George McCall.

His third (and final) win was achieved on Ruddy Sheld-Drake, owned by Lord Lonsdale and trained by Bob Armstrong, in the Willows Nursery Handicap at Haydock Park on October 8.

Two days later at Wolverhampton Thomas narrowly failed to win the Walsall Welter Handicap when Bridal Wreath was beaten a head by Gay Milan, the mount of Steve Donoghue.

That was as good as it got for Thomas. He had a few rides the following season, ending his career in Britain when finishing sixth of nine runners on Erie in the Bective Selling Plate at Carlisle on June 28, 1911. Although he was granted a professional jockey’s licence in 1913, he does not appear to have had any rides.

Thomas Horseman’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Daragame, Ayr, July 19, 1910

2. Buxom Girl, Ripon, August 2, 1910

3. Ruddy Sheld-Darke, Haydock Park, October 8, 1910