Thomas Loates (6 October 1867 – 1910), born in Derby, England, was a three times British flat racing Champion Jockey and one of only seven jockeys to have won more than 200 races in a Season (sports), season in Great Britain. He won the English Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing#English Triple Crowns, Triple Crown on Isinglass (horse), Isinglass in 1892, as well as individual Classic Races, Classics on Donovan (horse), Donovan (1889 Epsom Derby, Derby) (for which he was a last-minute booking), Siffleuse (1893 1,000 Guineas) and St. Frusquin (1896 2,000 Guineas). On Isinglass, he also won the 1894 Eclipse Stakes, Eclipse and 1895 Ascot Gold Cup and he had another top class win on Desmond in Newmarket Racecourse, Newmarket's July Stakes in 1898.

Life

Loates was regarded as the best of a family of four jockey brothers which included fellow Classic-winner, Sam Loates. He was apprenticed to Joseph Cannon at Newmarket and was known as "a good lightweight, with very good hands". For Donovan's Derby win, he weighed just 6 1/2 stone. Loates once narrowly escaped death when falling in the Liverpool Cup on Lord Derby, Lord Derby's race mare Birch Rod. He was also badly injured in a fall at Manchester Racecourse, Manchester and later married the nurse who tended him. A low point for Loates came in 1891 when his licence to ride was withdrawn by the Jockey Club for his involvement in betting, but he was reinstated the following year. He died in Brighton, England in 1910, leaving $1,250,000 in property. It was believed he had amassed this phenomenal sum ($31.8 million in 2013 prices) because his later employer was the financier Leopold de Rothschild who looked after his investments. List of Brighton & Hove bus names, Brighton & Hove Bus Number 415 is named in honour of him.

References

British jockeys 1867 births 1910 deaths British Champion flat jockeys Sportspeople from Derby {{UK-horseracing-bio-stub