Tommy Maher

Thomas Francis Maher was a moderately successful National Hunt jockey in the immediate post-war years, riding a total of 27 winners. 

He began his career just before the war, having his first mount under NH rules on Bryan O’Linn, finishing third in the Dudley Handicap Chase at Wolverhampton on November 13, 1927. Within two months, Rose O’Linn had provided Tommy with his first win when landing the Manchester Handicap Chase on January 3, 1938.   

After the war, riding for Epsom trainer Bill Payne, he had a winner on both days of Fontwell Park’s fixture on March 29/30, 1946, on Sergeant Kelly and Psychic Bid. Sergeant Kelly was probably the best horse he rode. He won two chases on him the next season, at Fontwell on May 1 and Newton Abbot on June 14, 1947.

He made a good start to the following campaign by riding a double on Maltster and Sergeant Kelly at Newton Abbot on the second day of the 1947/48 season, then winning on Sergeant Kelly again at Newton Abbot three weeks later. He rode seven more winners that term, including some for Les Hall and Jack Anthony, in what proved to be his most successful campaign, finishing it with a score of ten. 

Tommy rode 100/1 outsider Tudor Close for Ryan Price in the 1948 Grand National but fell at the fence after Valentine’s (the tenth) on the first circuit. He rode seven winners during the 1948/49 season. 

He had his last three wins in the 1949/50 campaign, beginning with Wuhu in a Fontwell handicap chase on September 21, 1949, and ending with two novice chases on Haverhill Gala, at Towcester on Easter Monday and at West Norfolk Hunt (as Fakenham was then known) on Saturday, May 6, 1950. 

He appeared for the final time on Easter Monday, April 6, 1953 at Newton Abbot, where he had four rides. The day started badly with a fall from Major Road in the novices’ chase. He then finished second on Fair Enough in the selling chase and last of seven on Slapdash in the handicap hurdle. His final mount – the last of his career – was on Hill Breeze, who finished sixth of the seven finishers in the three-mile one-furlong Tower Chase.