Tom Reeves

Tom Reeves

Article by Alan Trout

Thomas Reeves rode a dozen winners under National Hunt rules during a career that started in the closing stages of World War Two and continued until the early 1950s. He was based throughout with former leading Flat jockey Johnny Dines who supplied all of Tom’s 12 wins.

He had his first ride at Windsor on February 10, 1945, when Bindal finished third in the Bray Novices’ Hurdle (Division 1). Tom rode his first winner six weeks later at Cheltenham on March 24, when Star Lover beat 26 rivals to land the Chedworth Novices’ Hurdle (Division 2), beating Corner Boy, the mount of William Hollick, by half a length. 

Star Lover never ran again, and Tom had to wait almost a year for his second victory. After that, progress was slow, with only three wins in a season and no rides in big races. 

His last winner was Jokkmokk in the Hurstpierpoint Four-Year-Old Hurdle at Plumpton on January 9, 1952, taking the lead four flights from home. Occupying four of the next six positions were champion jockeys Tim Molony, Bryan Marshall, Jack Dowdeswell and Fred Winter. Not a bad final victory!

Jokkmokk also gave Tom his final ride but not a happy ending, as the five-year-old was a faller in the Portsmouth Handicap Hurdle at Fontwell Park on September 29, 1953. 

Tom Reeves’ winners were, in chronological order.

1. Star Lover, Cheltenham, March 24, 1945

2. Bindal, Plumpton, March 9, 1946

3. Bindal, Wye, April 8, 1946

4. Mossel Bay, Cheltenham, April 16, 1946

5. Mossel Bay, Taunton, May 3, 1947

6. Precede, Lingfield Park, February 13, 1948

7. Timocrat, Cheltenham, January 15, 1949

8. Timocrat, Wincanton, January 27, 1949

9. Admiral’s Yarn, Fontwell Park, March 24, 1949

10. Dombey, Windsor, February 8, 1950

11. African Project, Southwell, May 8, 1950

12. Jokkmokk, Plumpton, January 9, 1952