Tom Cannon, Sr.

Tom Cannon, Sr.
Tom Cannon caricature in Vanity Fair, 12 September 1885
Occupation	Jockey, Trainer
Born	April 1846 Windsor
Died	13 July 1917
Career wins	1544
Major racing wins
British Classic Race wins as jockey: 1,000 Guineas (3) 2,000 Guineas (4) Epsom Oaks (4) Epsom Derby St. Leger
Racing awards
British flat racing Champion Jockey 1872
Significant horses
Amphion, Busybody, Pilgrimage, Shotover

Tom Cannon, Sr. (April 1846 – 13 July 1917) was a British flat racing jockey and trainer. He won 13 British classics as a jockey, becoming champion in 1872. As a trainer, he trained classic winners, as well as winners over jumps, including the 1888 Grand National. He was the father of four jockey sons, including the six-times champion, Morny Cannon, and the great-grandfather of eleven-times champion, Lester Piggott.

Cannon was born in Eton, Berkshire in April 1846. His parents were Thomas H. Cannon and his wife, Harriett from Windsor. Thomas H. has been described variously as a livery stable keeper, horse dealer and keeper of the George Hotel in Eton. The young Cannon was a slight boy, lightweight and graceful.

At 13, he was apprenticed to a trainer called Mr Sextie. His first race ride, aged 14, was in the Saltrom Handicap at Plymouth on Mavourneen, a four-year-old mare. That race ended in a fall, but within the week, he had had his first winner, a horse called My Uncle, owned by Lord Portsmouth in a six furlong heats race, also at Plymouth. After dead-heating in the second heat, he won the decider by a head. At this time, his race riding weight was a mere 3 st 12 lb (24.5 kg).

For most of his career, Cannon was attached to the yard of John Day, Jr., at Danebury by the side of in Hampshire. There he was mentored by the jockey George Fordham, who was nine years his senior. Day provided Cannon with first classic win in the 1866 1,000 Guineas aboard a filly called Repulse. He also rode for his younger brother, and was associated with the stables of John Porter and James Ryan.