Formerly a successful point-to-point jockey, Tom Cannon rode his first winner under rules, Days Of Pleasure, trained by Chris Gordon, in a handicap hurdle at Fontwell on March 10, 2010. With the backing of Gordon, to whom he remains eternally grateful, he made rapid progress through the ranks and, in 2014/15, rode a then career-best 52 winners. Immediately prior to the start of the 2016/17 season, Cannon was appointed second jockey to Alan King Barbury Castle Stables in Wroughton, near Swindon, Wiltshire. He rode his first winner for the yard, Tyrell, in a juvenile hurdle at Warwick.
In 2019, following the retirement of Wayne Hutchinson, Cannon landed his ‘dream job’ as stable jockey at Barbury Castle and has continued to thrive ever since. In 2021/22, he enjoyed his most successful so far, numerically and fiscally, with 74 winners from 430 rides, at a strike rate of 17%, and just over £1 million in prize money. His seasonal tally included two Grade 1 wins, both on Edwardstone, in the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown Park in December and the Arkle Challenge Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival the following March.
All told, at the time of writing, Cannon has a total of 22 Graded and Listed wins to his name, to most recent of which coming on Telepathique, trained by Lucy Wadham, in the Lady Protectress Mares’ Chase at Huntingdon on February 6, 2025. In 2024/25, he has ridden 34 winners from 251 rides and currently lies joint-twentieth in the National Hunt Jockeys’ Championship.
