Parents place plaque for Tom

From the archive, first published Thursday 9th Feb 2006.

The parents of jockey Tom Halliday have put up a plaque in memory of their son so he can "watch over" winners at the racecourse where he died.

The 20-year-old, who was based at the Eldwick yard run by former showjumper Harvey Smith's wife Sue Smith, died in July after being crushed by his horse during a hurdle race at Market Rasen in Lincolnshire.

Course manager Pip Kirkby said the plaque went up in time for the start of the new 2006 season and was just one way the racecourse would be remembering the young rider.

Miss Kirkby added: "The plaque is from Tom's parents and it is in an ideal spot on the jockey's route into the winner's enclosure. It means Tom will be able to watch over them."

Mr Halliday started out as a stable lad at Craiglands Farm with the Smiths' after leaving school, before becoming a jump jockey.

He will also be remembered at Market Rasen with an annual memorial race in July for apprentice jockeys, marking the anniversary of his death - which happened just nine days before his 21st birthday.

Managers at the Lincolnshire track will be continuing to pay tribute to Mr Halliday by seeking nominations this summer for their second jockey scholarship at the Northern Riding College in Doncaster.

The first-ever Tom Halliday scholarship was awarded last year to 22-year-old Philip Kinsella based in Cleveland.

Miss Kirkby said: "We've been nurturing Phillip this year but we will be looking round trainers' yards for new nominations in the early summer in time for the award in September. The scholarship is about giving up and coming jockeys like Tom a leg up. We thought the scholarship was a fitting tribute."

Wetherby, Catterick and Doncaster courses will also be remembering Tom by running a Tom Halliday Memorial Trophy competition for the second time - awarded to the best trainee jump jockey of the year. It was at Wetherby on Boxing Day 2005 that Tom rode his first of 50 winners, jockeys there have paid for a bench in his memory in the weighing room.

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