Tom Hales

Thomas Hales (c. 1847 – 27 October 1901) was an Australian jockey who has been called the Fred Archer of the Australian turf. During his 20-year career he rode nearly 500 winners, including every major South Australian and Victorian race with the exception of the Caulfield Cup.

History Hales was born in Portland, Victoria, a son of Matthew Hales (c. 1819 – 21 July 1884) and Margaret Hales née Ward (c. 1824 – 29 September 1897). The family moved to Penola, South Australia when Tom was quite young, then to nearby Robe, where he grew up.

Hales' first serious, though unofficial, race was circa 1860, on Euclid, a chestnut gelding, against Tommy, a bay gelding trained and ridden by Johnny Powning ( –1862). Hales weighed just . For several years he divided his time between Adelaide and the South-east of South Australia, riding in both hurdles and flat races.

He first rode in Victoria in 1872 with the stable of T. J. Ryan (c. 1850–1875), making second place in the Melbourne Cup on The Ace. The following year, Ryan left Australia for England, and died a year or so later. Hales won the Adelaide Cup in 1874 on Ace of Trumps for William Gerrard ( –1884) of Rapid Bay, and in 1877 on Aldinga for Samuel Gardiner ( –1905) of Bundoora Park. His most celebrated victory is probably the Melbourne Cup, which he won on Grand Flaneur for William Long, and some of his favorite horses were Briseis, Pardon and First King, for James "Old Jim" Wilson, (1827–1917) of the St. Alban's Stud in Geelong. From 1883 to 1890 he raced almost exclusively for James White (1828–1890).

Notable trophies he garnered before retiring in 1894 include: VRC Derby six times, with Briseis (1877), Grand Flaneur (1881), Trident (1886), Ensign (1888), Dreadnought (1889), and The Admiral (1890) VRC Oaks five times, with Briseis (1876), Pardon (1877), Royal Maid (1881), Uralla (1885), and Spice (1889) Maribyrnong Plate on Acme (1885) VRC St Leger ten times, with Richmond (1876), Bosworth (1879), Grand Flaneur (1881), Navigator (1883), Martini-Henry (1884), Matchlock (1886), Trident (1887), Abercorn (1888), Volley (1889), and Dreadnought (1890) Caulfield Guineas three times, with Carlyon (1887), Volley (1888), and Rudolph (1889) AJC Derby six times, with Richmond (1875), Grand Flaneur (1880), Navigator (1882), Bargo (1884), Trident (1886), and Abercorn (1887) AJC St Leger seven times with Petrea, Navigator, Matchlock, Trident AJC Champagne Stakes five times with Navigator (1882), Bargo (1884), Uralla (1885), Volley (1888), and Rudolph (1889) SAJC St Leger four times, with Stella (1875), Emulation (1876), Progress (1881), and Topaz (1882) Sydney Cup three times, with Savanaka (1879), Petrea (1880), Hobart Cup once, with Lord Harry (1889) Launceston Cup once Geelong Cup six times with Pride of the Hills (1877), Newminster (1878), Guinea (1882), Gudarz (1883), Linda (1884), Malua (1889) Australian Cup eight times, with Lurline (1875), Richmond (1878), Savanaka (1879), Navigator (1883), Morpeth (1884), Trident (1887), Carlyon (1888) and Dreadnought (1890) VRC Champion Stakes seven times, with Richmond (1876), First King (1878, 1880), Grand Flaneur (1881), Matchlock (1886), Trident (1887), and Abercorn (1888)