Tributes paid after former jump jockey Tom Greenway dies at the age of 38

The racing community is in mourning for former jump jockey Tom Greenway, who has died at the age of 38.

He rode more than 40 winners under rules as an amateur and a conditional during a career in which he also came back from breaking his neck in three places in a fall at Towcester when only 21.

Greenway, from a racing family, started out in point-to-points and joined Ginger McCain, then spent time at Henrietta Knight's yard before a successful spell with Nigel Twiston-Davies, a highlight of which was riding a treble at Perth.

He was a qualified plumber and helped his brother with his property business after quitting the saddle. He was about to become involved in the bloodstock industry at the time of his death.

Tom Greenway wins on Interdit (left) at KelsoCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

"He'd been poorly for a while," said lifelong friend Will Kinsey, a former amateur rider and trainer who is now a breeder. "He rode a lot of winners and he came back from a broken neck – they called him the miracle man in the paper."

Donald McCain paid tribute to Greenway and said: "It's very sad. His grandfather Ted Greenway was Red Rum's vet and we've known Tom since he was tiny.

"He rode for me as a conditional and he was a good rider and a very nice lad."

Greenway also rode winners for Peter Bowen, who said: "His dad had horses here and his aunt has horses with us now. Tom was a good jockey and he was a lovely lad."

'He was so nice and so helpful'

One of his final winners was on Lady Suffragette for Newmarket trainer John Berry, who said: "I booked him because he struck me as a good claimer and he used to come down and school.

"He was so nice and so helpful and we stayed in touch on social media after he stopped riding."

Greenway is survived by his mother Janet and brother David. The funeral is at 11.30am on Tuesday November 16 at St Boniface Church in Bunbury, Cheshire, CW6 9PN. Family flowers only, with donations to the Injured Jockeys Fund.