Harry Thomson Jones often known as Tom Jones, was a British
racehorseHorse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
trainerIn horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...
whose career lasted from 1951 to 1996. He was successful in National Hunt racing, training the winners of 12
Cheltenham FestivalThe Cheltenham Festival is one of the most prestigious meetings in the National Hunt racing calendar in the United Kingdom, and has race prize money second only to the Grand National...
races before switching to
flat racingFlat racing is a form of Thoroughbred horse racing which is run over a level track at a predetermined distance. It differs from steeplechase racing which is run over hurdles...
and going on to train the winners of British Classic Races.
He was educated at
Eton CollegeEton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and was first licenced as a trainer in 1951. Amongst his notable National Hunt horses were Tingle Creek, winner of 11 races and a specialist at Sandown Park Racecourse, and Frenchman's Cove, winner of the 1962
Whitbread Gold CupThe Bet365 Gold Cup is a Grade 3 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of about 3 miles and 5½ furlongs , and during its running there are twenty-four fences to be jumped...
and 1964
King George VI ChaseThe King George VI Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Kempton Park over a distance of about 3 miles , and during its running there are eighteen fences to be jumped...
.
By the 1970s he had begun to concentrate on flat racing and trained his first Classic winner when
Athens WoodAthens Wood was a Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning a British Classic, the St. Leger Stakes. He was bred by Kilcarn Stud near Navan in County Meath, Ireland. His sire was Celtic Ash, a British-born colt who raced in the United States where in 1960 he won an American Classic, the...
won the 1971
St. LegerThe St. Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 132 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.Established in 1776, the St. Leger...
. In 1982 he trained Touching Wood to win the St. Leger and Irish St. Leger for
Maktoum al MaktoumMaktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum , also referred to as Sheikh Maktoum was the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and the emir of Dubai.-Biography:...
, the first Classic winner owned by the Maktoum family.
Sheikh Hamdan al MaktoumHamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the Deputy Ruler of Dubai and the Minister of Finance and Industry of the United Arab Emirates . He is the second son of the late ruler, Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum ....
became his principal owner and the most successful horse he trained for Sheikh Hamdan was Al Bahathri, winner of the
Lowther StakesThe Lowther Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at York over a distance of 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.-History:...
in 1984 and the Irish 1,000 Guineas,
Coronation StakesThe Coronation Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June.-History:...
and
Child StakesThe Falmouth Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbred fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July.-History:The event is named in honour of...
in 1985.
His last winner came when Agdistis won at
Worcester RacecourseWorcester Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in the city of Worcester, Worcestershire, England.The course is laid out as an oval circuit of about 13 furlongs in length and situated by the south side of the River Severn....
on 12 October 1996 and he retired later that year.
His son, Tim Thomson Jones, and daughter, Di Haine, are also racehorse trainers, his other son, Christopher Thomson Jones lives in South Carolina.