Jockeys were first licensed in March 1880, and among the 166 names that were granted one that season was Thomas Jennings Jr., whose father had trained the legendary Gladiateur.
'Young Tom' - as he was known in racing circles to distinguish him from his father - was the great uncle of racing journalist and presenter John Rickman. Young Tom was also known as Creeping Jesus. He was best man at the wedding of Fred Archer and Rose Dawson in 1883.
Born in Chantilly in 1856, Young Tom - before and after school - would exercise his father's string and, in July, 1870, he wore racing silks for the first time. A colt of M. Lefevre's called Minotaur gave him his first winning mount, but increasing weight curtailed the ambitious youngster's career on the Flat and he immediately devoted himself to riding over the sticks. He did this on both sides of the channel, meeting with considerable success.
At Auteuil he won the chief hurdle race on Paul's Cray, this win being achieved under somewhat unique conditions. The stands caught fire, its flames spreading rapidly. The structure was ablaze while racing was in progress and firemen, their hose laying right across the course, directed jets of water at it. Other firemen, regardless of the approaching horses, began throwing chairs and benches on to the track, forcing Tom and his fellow jockeys to pick their way among them and jump the piping.
Back in England in 1878, he rode Sheldrake to win Sandown's International Hurdle Race.
He also won the 1879 Grand Prize at Sandown on Rifle.
In 1880, M. Lefevre offered to send Tom some horses if he would take charge of them, and so began Tom's days as a trainer. Tristan was one of the first horses he trained and this son of Hermit distinguished himself in both England and France, including a victory in the 1883 Ascot Gold Cup. Tristan also finished runner-up in the 1891 Epsom Derby.
In 1882, Tom sent five horse to Ascot and won six races with them. By contrast, he once took fourteen horses to Doncaster, telling stable jockey George Fordham that he thought that most of them were absolutely certain to win. All fourteen were beaten.
Tom trained for Lord Hindlip and Mr Leonard and other owners, sending out runners from his Phantom House Stable at Newmarket.
He won three classics - Winifreda (1900 1,000 Guineas): Limasol (1897 Oaks) and Mirska (1912 Oaks) - and turned out many good apprentices, including Joe Childs.
He did not train after the First World War.
Tom Jennings, a very reserved man with few personal friends, died on 6 September, 1932, at Torquay, where he had been living in retirement.