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1881-1963
1881-1963
National Hunt jockey Thomas Eardley Graham Willmot was born in Kingston-upon-Thames in 1881. He rode a few winners on the Flat before switching codes and accumulating 120 wins over jumps between 1907 and 1923. As with many jockeys of his time, his career was compromised by World War One.
National Hunt jockey Thomas Eardley Graham Willmot was born in Kingston-upon-Thames in 1881. He rode a few winners on the Flat before switching codes and accumulating 120 wins over jumps between 1907 and 1923. As with many jockeys of his time, his career was compromised by World War One.
He had his first ride under NH rules on a horse named Agathos II, who fell in the Deal Handicap Chase at Folkestone on October 21, 1902, but it wasn’t until April 20, 1907 that he
He had his first ride under NH rules on a horse named Agathos II, who fell in the Deal Handicap Chase at Folkestone on October 21, 1902, but it wasn’t until April 20, 1907 that he
registered has first success, aboard Dividend in the South-Western Handicap Hurdle at Portsmouth.
registered has first success, aboard Dividend in the South-Western Handicap Hurdle at Portsmouth.
He had four rides in the Grand National, two before the First World War and two after, all of whom fell. They were
He had four rides in the Grand National, two before the First World War and two after, all of whom fell. They were
1910: General Fox (66-1)
1910: General Fox (66-1)
1911: Roman Candle (28-1)
1911: Roman Candle (28-1)
1920: Square Up (66-1)
1920: Square Up (66-1)
1921: Gleneffy (100-1)
1921: Gleneffy (100-1)
His most successful year in terms of number of wins was 1921 with a score of 23, placing him in joint-tenth position in the National Hunt jockeys’ table. However, he achieved by far his biggest success when winning the 1922 Welsh Grand National at Cardiff on 10-1 shot Simonedes, trained by Alexander Cox, the son of a Liverpool jute merchant.
His most successful year in terms of number of wins was 1921 with a score of 23, placing him in joint-tenth position in the National Hunt jockeys’ table. However, he achieved by far his biggest success when winning the 1922 Welsh Grand National at Cardiff on 10-1 shot Simonedes, trained by Alexander Cox, the son of a Liverpool jute merchant.
It was a dramatic race, marred by a false start which resulted in several of the horses completing nearly a circuit of the course before the jockeys were aware that anything was wrong. One of the first to feel the effects of the false start was the Irish challenger Mask On who faded out of contention on entering the straight. Simonedes passed the winning post two and a half lengths ahead of Confessor, with Mythical, another to have been adversely affected by the false start, a head further away in third.
It was a dramatic race, marred by a false start which resulted in several of the horses completing nearly a circuit of the course before the jockeys were aware that anything was wrong. One of the first to feel the effects of the false start was the Irish challenger Mask On who faded out of contention on entering the straight. Simonedes passed the winning post two and a half lengths ahead of Confessor, with Mythical, another to have been adversely affected by the false start, a head further away in third.
Tommy rode his last winner on 10-1 chance Wheat King in the Bushbury Selling Handicap Hurdle at Wolverhampton on March 12, 1923. He had his final ride at Cardiff, the scene of his greatest triumph, on Whit Monday, May 24, 1926, finishing unplaced on Kroon Belle in the Windsor Optional Selling Hurdle.
Tommy rode his last winner on 10-1 chance Wheat King in the Bushbury Selling Handicap Hurdle at Wolverhampton on March 12, 1923. He had his final ride at Cardiff, the scene of his greatest triumph, on Whit Monday, May 24, 1926, finishing unplaced on Kroon Belle in the Windsor Optional Selling Hurdle.
Having quit the saddle, Tommy trained at Letcombe Bassett.
Having quit the saddle, Tommy trained at Letcombe Bassett.
He died in Reading in 1963, aged 82.
He died in Reading in 1963, aged 82.
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