Tom Cannon appeared destined for a career in the saddle from an early age. He began riding ponies at just three years old, following a family tradition shaped by his mother and grandmother, who both rode in point-to-points, and by his mother’s work in racing. As a teenager, he progressed through pony racing, show jumping and eventing before making a successful move into point-to-pointing at the age of 16. 

Cannon quickly built an impressive reputation in the amateur and conditional ranks. He was Champion National Novice Point-to-Point Rider, Champion South East Point-to-Point Rider, runner-up in the 2010/11 Amateur Jockeys’ Championship and a close third in the conditional jockeys’ title. Riding predominantly for Chris Gordon, he rose through the ranks swiftly and rode out his claim in under two seasons. In 2015, he joined Alan King’s Banbury Castle Stables as second jockey before becoming stable jockey in 2019 following Wayne Hutchinson’s retirement. 

Cannon has since become best known for his association with the Alan King-trained Edwardstone. The partnership has delivered all four of Cannon’s Grade 1 victories, along with a further four Grade 2 successes, establishing Edwardstone as the defining horse of his career to date.