Tommy Wilson
Tommy was just 15 when he rode his first winner: Oil Pact at Pontefract in April 1959. Trained by Ernie Davey at Malton in Yorkshire, Oil Pact was the horse on which Colin had made his racecourse debut a week earlier at Thirsk.
Tommy was just 15 when he rode his first winner: Oil Pact at Pontefract in April 1959. Trained by Ernie Davey at Malton in Yorkshire, Oil Pact was the horse on which Colin had made his racecourse debut a week earlier at Thirsk.
Two years later, riding for Richmond trainer Jack Ormston, he rode Heckley to a clever neck victory at Manchester.
Two years later, riding for Richmond trainer Jack Ormston, he rode Heckley to a clever neck victory at Manchester.
In early 1963, Colin rode four winners: Well Dined at Catterick, Blonde Cracker at Nottingham, Limestone Edward at Lanark then Crowned Beauty at Haydock, which came late to beat Doug Smith in a tight finish.
In early 1963, Colin rode four winners: Well Dined at Catterick, Blonde Cracker at Nottingham, Limestone Edward at Lanark then Crowned Beauty at Haydock, which came late to beat Doug Smith in a tight finish.
All these winners came over a short period and started Tommy thinking: if he could just keep his weight down he would make it.
All these winners came over a short period and started Tommy thinking: if he could just keep his weight down he would make it.
Then, disaster! An accident at home on the gallops resulted in a broken shoulder and gave him an unwanted time out the saddle. When he returned, he struggled to do 8 st 4 lbs.
Then, disaster! An accident at home on the gallops resulted in a broken shoulder and gave him an unwanted time out the saddle. When he returned, he struggled to do 8 st 4 lbs.
Undaunted, he wasted no time in contacting Tommy Robson and applied for a National Hunt licence.
Undaunted, he wasted no time in contacting Tommy Robson and applied for a National Hunt licence.
Eventually Tommy, then about to get married, quit the racing scene and got 'proper' job, as he called it.
Eventually Tommy, then about to get married, quit the racing scene and got 'proper' job, as he called it.
Today, June 2017, Tommy is a fit 74-year-old, playing golf twice a week.
Today, June 2017, Tommy is a fit 74-year-old, playing golf twice a week.
He often hankers back to the old days and wonders where he might have finished up if the weights had been raised then.
He often hankers back to the old days and wonders where he might have finished up if the weights had been raised then.