Tommy Mallorie

Article by Chris Pitt

Thomas Percy Mallorie was a northern jump jockey during the 1950s. A popular figure both on and off the racecourse, he was born on 6 January 1927 and started in racing as an apprentice with Percy Vasey at Wetherby in 1941.

After the war, he rode mainly for small farming trainers and permit holders based in Northumberland. His willingness to take rides on the worst of jumpers led to him having a number of bad falls. He was out for three years after breaking both legs and suffering various other fractures in a fall from Perimore in a Wetherby novices’ hurdle on 4 December 1948.

He rode his first winner at Cartmel on 2 June 1952 on Sun Clasp, trained by Harold Storey at Austwick, Lancashire, and went on to ride 16 more over the next seven

seasons. His most successful campaign was in 1954/55 when he rode six winners from 58 mounts. Probably the best horse he rode was Hugh Rebanks’ Pentathlon, on whom he won twice and was beaten a neck by the Harry Sprague-ridden Buckingham in the Birdlip Handicap Hurdle (now the Pertemps Final) at the 1957 Cheltenham Festival, and second again, beaten half a length, in Kelso’s Morebattle Hurdle.

He also rode the popular chaser Rent Roll, partnering that horse to his final success at Sedgefield on 12 March 1955. Sadly, just three days later Rent Roll had to be destroyed after falling at the fourth fence at Doncaster.

Rent Roll won four chases in a short career that didn’t start until he was 11, in the 1952/53 season. He was owned by the sisters Agnes and Ethel Robertson who instituted the Rent Roll Cup, first run at Sedgefield on Boxing Day 1955, in memory of their remarkable chaser. Rent Roll only won that one race at Sedgefield, three days before his career ended so tragically. The inaugural running was won by Red Bob, trained by Stewart Wight and ridden by Mick Batchelor. The Rent Roll Cup remained a feature of Sedgefield’s Boxing Day card until its final running in 2000.

Tommy Mallorie’s final victory was achieved on Ovingstone at Hexham on 29 September 1958. His career was ended by another broken leg sustained at his favourite course, Sedgefield, on 18 March 1961, when the Barney Cross-trained Creavey Rose fell in a novices’ chase.

After he retired he ran a livery stable at Beal in Northumberland where he lived with his wife Jean and family. Sadly, he fell victim to motor-neuron disease and died in November 1985, aged 58. His funeral, held in Lowick, was testimony to his popularity. A neighbour, Mrs Pat Shrubsole, a well-known owner and breeder of that good steeplechaser Canny Danny, described him as a “really super person.”

She continued: “Tommy was so kind to everybody. Nothing was too much trouble for him. He would come out in the middle of the night to help you with a horse that was off.

“Anyone who wanted advice went to him and he gave it unstintingly. Although he was almost paralysed towards the end I never saw him down. There was always a twinkle in his eye when I went to see him.”

His death came just a few days after a race had been run at Huntingdon in memory of Macer Gifford, who was also struck down by motor-neuron disease and had died in May of that same year.

Tommy Mallorie’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Sun Clasp, Cartmel, 2 June 1952

2. Dodge, Ayr, 4 January 1954

3. Castle Rock, Sedgefield, 13 March 1954

4. Salfax, Carlisle, 17 April 1954

5. Grovel, Southwell, 20 December 1954

6. Rent Roll, Sedgefield, 12 March 1955

7. Mary Desmond, Sedgefield, 12 March 1955

8. Cherry Abbot (dead-heat), Rothbury, 16 April 1955

9. Maharajah, Kelso, 4 May 1955

10. Fine Fur, Cartmel, 30 May 1955

11. Constant Worry, Sedgefield, 12 May 1956

12. Pentathlon, Ayr, 1 January 1957

13. Pentathlon, Wetherby, 5 January 1957

14. Light Gossip, Newcastle, 16 February 1957

15. Light Gossip, Ayr, 12 October 1957

16. Bala Sea, Kelso, 1 March 1958

17. Ovingstone, Hexham, 29 September 1958