Brian Jones
1943 - 1999
1943 - 1999
Article by Chris Pitt
Article by Chris Pitt
Brian Jones could be said to have been born into the saddle, being the son of Ted Jones, head man to Letcombe Basset, near Wantage, trainer Tom Yates.
Brian Jones could be said to have been born into the saddle, being the son of Ted Jones, head man to Letcombe Basset, near Wantage, trainer Tom Yates.
Born on March 4, 1943, Brian Edward William Jones was still at school when riding out regularly with
Born on March 4, 1943, Brian Edward William Jones was still at school when riding out regularly with
Ginger Dennistoun’s string. On leaving school early in 1959 he was indentured to trainer Harry Thomson (Tom) Jones at Newmarket and rode his first winner that year, on Child Of Storm in a one-mile apprentices’ maiden at Pontefract on August 29, 1959.
Ginger Dennistoun’s string. On leaving school early in 1959 he was indentured to trainer Harry Thomson (Tom) Jones at Newmarket and rode his first winner that year, on Child Of Storm in a one-mile apprentices’ maiden at Pontefract on August 29, 1959.
The following season he racked up a dozen winners including the Steve Donoghue Apprentices’ Handicap at Epsom on August Bank Holiday Monday on Scaphander for John Oxley. He also won Newmarket’s £1,000 Queensberry Handicap on the Geoffrey Brooke-trained Whistle Me.
The following season he racked up a dozen winners including the Steve Donoghue Apprentices’ Handicap at Epsom on August Bank Holiday Monday on Scaphander for John Oxley. He also won Newmarket’s £1,000 Queensberry Handicap on the Geoffrey Brooke-trained Whistle Me.
In 1961 he increased his tally further to 17 winners. These included the Welsh
In 1961 he increased his tally further to 17 winners. These included the Welsh
Cesarewitch at Chepstow on Tom Jones’s Grey Gauntlet and the Stockton Summer Handicap on Scaphander. At the end of that year he went out hunting on several occasions and also stayed for a while with leading show jumping rider Ted Williams in Leicestershire in order to improve his horsemanship
Cesarewitch at Chepstow on Tom Jones’s Grey Gauntlet and the Stockton Summer Handicap on Scaphander. At the end of that year he went out hunting on several occasions and also stayed for a while with leading show jumping rider Ted Williams in Leicestershire in order to improve his horsemanship
Having ridden out his claim, he started the 1962 season as a full professional jockey.
Having ridden out his claim, he started the 1962 season as a full professional jockey.
He managed a respectable eleven winners, none of them high profile, the last being on Reg Hollinshead’s five-furlong sprinter Dash It at Doncaster on October 19.
He managed a respectable eleven winners, none of them high profile, the last being on Reg Hollinshead’s five-furlong sprinter Dash It at Doncaster on October 19.
He didn’t ride a winner the following year but broke the drought early in 1964 when landing a six-furlong 43-runner Thirsk maiden on the Burgess Point on April 17. He followed up over the same course and distance on Burgess Point on May 30 and then rode him to victory in the £1,135 to the winner Perkins Memorial Handicap at Newcastle on June 25. His next success was on Laughing Cheese in a six-furlong handicap at Chester on July 11, with his fifth and final Flat winner coming on two-year-old colt Litigation at Stockton on August 15. All of those were trained by Tom Jones.
He didn’t ride a winner the following year but broke the drought early in 1964 when landing a six-furlong 43-runner Thirsk maiden on the Burgess Point on April 17. He followed up over the same course and distance on Burgess Point on May 30 and then rode him to victory in the £1,135 to the winner Perkins Memorial Handicap at Newcastle on June 25. His next success was on Laughing Cheese in a six-furlong handicap at Chester on July 11, with his fifth and final Flat winner coming on two-year-old colt Litigation at Stockton on August 15. All of those were trained by Tom Jones.
Brian had put his hunting and show jumping experience to good use by taking out a National Hunt jockey’s
Brian had put his hunting and show jumping experience to good use by taking out a National Hunt jockey’s
licence for the 1962/63 jumps season. He rode over hurdles for three seasons, mostly for Tom Jones. He didn’t have all that many mounts but managed to ride one winner, Adventurous in the Southern Counties Handicap Hurdle at Lingfield Park on February 26, 1965, that being the final success of his career in Britain.
licence for the 1962/63 jumps season. He rode over hurdles for three seasons, mostly for Tom Jones. He didn’t have all that many mounts but managed to ride one winner, Adventurous in the Southern Counties Handicap Hurdle at Lingfield Park on February 26, 1965, that being the final success of his career in Britain.
Brian Jones died in 1999.
Brian Jones died in 1999.