Mornington Cannon

[6] He married E (Nelly) Dennett, of The Park, Nottingham, on 11 January 1894, at the old parish church, St Mary Abbots, Kensington.

[4] His most famous mount was Flying Fox with which he captured the 1899 St. Leger Stakes, 2,000 Guineas and Epsom Derby, securing the Triple Crown.

His wins were as follows: First Day: -Stand Plate (9 runners), Rowallan, 100/8; Champagne Stakes (5), Solero, 10/1; Great Yorkshire Handicap (16), Bushey Park, 100/12; Doncaster Welter (13), Lumberer, 100/8.

He was originally entered as a pacemaker for his more fancied stable mate, Matchbox, but it was Morny's idea to change tactics and so bring off a memorable success.

Jack Watts, Prince of Wales's jockey, had already refused to take the ride on the notoriously unruly Diamond Jubilee, before connections turned to Cannon.

[12] Cannon had ridden the horse in the Boscawen Stakes in 1900, achieving a narrow win over Paigle in a finish that required a generous application of whip on Diamond Jubilee.

Morny's spell at the top was curtailed by rising weight[30][31] and the 'American Invasion' of jockeys, which led to faster run races and riding in a crouching style with a shorter length of stirrup.

"[37] Cannon was one of the old school of jockeys like Fordham and Archer, but towards the end of his career altered his riding methods, having his saddle further forward and shortening his stirrup leathers.

[38] He was also known for leaving his challenge very late in races, a trait he had learnt from his father, and considered the "English style", to win by the narrowest margin.

[36] However, weighing room colleague, Danny Maher, considered Morny as, "one of the finest horsemen that he had ever fought out a finish.

"[41] Increasingly suffering from rheumatism Cannon announced his retirement from racing in April 1909[38] and lived in Brighton and Hove for many years until his death in 1962 at the age of 89.

Morny Cannon, from a 1906 cigarette card
1891 Vanity Fair caricature by Leslie Ward .