Harry Thomson Jones (1925 – 5 December 2007), often known as "Tom Jones", was a British

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic pr ...

trainer whose career lasted from 1951 to 1996. He was successful in

National Hunt In horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Republic of Ireland, National Hunt racing requires horses to jump fences and ditches. National Hunt racing in the UK is informally known as "jumps" and is divided into two major distinct branches: ...

racing, training the winners of 12

Cheltenham Festival The Cheltenham Festival is a horse racing-based meeting in the National Hunt racing calendar in the United Kingdom, with race prize money second only to the Grand National. The four-day festival takes place annually in March at Cheltenham Rac ...

races before switching to

flat racing Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...

and going on to train the winners of

British Classic Races The British Classics are five long-standing Group 1 horse races run during the traditional flat racing season. They are restricted to three-year-old horses and traditionally represent the pinnacle of achievement for racehorses against their own ...

. He was educated at

Eton College Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, C ...

and was first licensed as a trainer in 1951. Amongst his notable National Hunt horses were

Tingle Creek Tingle Creek (1966–1996) was an American-bred, British-trained steeplechaser of the 1970s. A handsome, lightly built chestnut horse with a white blaze under a white headband, Tingle Creek was a top-class performer at two miles and won 31 of 8 ...

, winner of 11 races and a specialist at

Sandown Park Racecourse Sandown Park is a horse racing course and leisure venue in Esher, Surrey, England, located in the outer suburbs of London. It hosts 5 Grade One National Hunt races and one Group 1 flat race, the Eclipse Stakes. It regularly has horse racing ...

, and Frenchman's Cove, winner of the 1962

Whitbread Gold Cup Whitbread plc is a multinational British hotel and restaurant company headquartered in Houghton Regis, England. The business was founded as a brewery in 1742, and had become the largest brewery in the world by the 1780s. Its largest division ...

and 1964

King George VI Chase The King George VI Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Kempton Park over a distance of ...

. By the 1970s he had begun to concentrate on flat racing and trained his first Classic winner when Athens Wood won the 1971 St. Leger. In 1982 he trained

Touching Wood Touching Wood (1979–2004) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire best known for winning the classic St Leger Stakes in 1982. Touching Wood was still a maiden when he finished second to Golden Fleece in the 1 ...

to win the St. Leger and

Irish St. Leger The Irish St Leger is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile and 6 furlongs (2,816 metres), and it i ...

for Maktoum al Maktoum, the first Classic winner owned by the Maktoum family. Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum became his principal owner and the most successful horse he trained for Sheikh Hamdan was Al Bahathri, winner of the

Lowther Stakes The Lowther Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old fillies. It is run at York over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each ...

in 1984 and the

Irish 1,000 Guineas The Irish 1,000 Guineas is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is scheduled ...

Coronation Stakes The Coronation Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 7 furlong and 213 yards (1,603 metres), and it is schedul ...

and Child Stakes in 1985. His last winner came when Agdistis won at

Worcester Racecourse Worcester Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in the city of Worcester, Worcestershire, England.''British Racing and Racecourses'' () by Marion Rose Halpenny - Page 247 Horse racing has taken place here since at least 1718. I ...

on 12 October 1996 and he retired later that year. He was married twice and had three children. With his first wife Solna Joel, he had a son, Tim Thomson Jones, and daughter, Di Haine, who are also racehorse trainers; with his second wife Sarah Beatty, he had another son, Christopher Thomson Jones, who lives in South Carolina.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Harry Thomson 1925 births 2007 deaths British racehorse trainers People educated at Eton College