Jump jockey Tom Garner hoping to be rolling in the dough with pizza venture

Pizza and jockeys are not the most natural combination, but Tom Garner is up for a slice of the action, setting up a mobile catering operation he hopes will stand him in good stead when his riding days come to an end.

Attached to Oliver Sherwood's Grand National-winning yard in Lambourn, Garner has joined forces with former apprentice Josh Baudains, whose career was cut short due to injury before he retrained as a chef.

A summer holiday in Sri Lanka and the catering at his brother's wedding inspired Garner, who lost his claim at Aiken racecourse in South Carolina in October.

Garner found an old horse trailer in Lambourn

"I've known Josh for ten years and asked if he fancied doing something," said Garner.

"He was thinking about it too and we found an old trailer in Upper Lambourn and we've converted it into a pizza oven. We're hoping to go to point-to-points, maybe some race meetings, weddings, birthdays and we've got a couple of hunt balls coming up.

"It's going well and we had an opening night at the Blowing Stone pub near Lambourn recently. Hopefully we can kick on and we'll be doing the Lambourn Open Day as well."

The trailer took shape over the summer

The jump jockey, who won the Grade 2 Kingwell Hurdle in 2016 on Sherwood stalwart Rayvin Black, added: "Josh is qualified as a chef, so that's why I went to him. He was farming, which isn't where his heart is – cooking is where his heart is – so it's worked out nicely as he's a really good cook and I do the business side. But I've cooked the odd pizza and am a bit of an expert at rolling dough.

"It's quite exciting, and although I'm not one who turns down food very often I wouldn't be eating a heap as a jockey!"

Garner, who admits he is particularly fond of their goat's cheese and chorizo wood-fired offering, feels it is important young riders establish alternative career paths during their time in the saddle.

Fired Up: ready for business - soon

The 28-year-old, also a part-time insurance broker, said: "It's just another string to my bow and something that will be there when riding is over. I've a few things I do when I'm not riding, this and the insurance, which keeps a wage coming in.

"To any young lad I've spoken to, I've always said, 'Make sure you've got something you can fall back on'. We've got Jets [Jockeys Education & Training Scheme], which has helped me and Josh out.

"Riding is such a short career and you should be thinking about what you'll do after, but a lot of people don't. That's something that should be documented more.

"Young lads coming through at 16 just want to get on a horse and don't care about school, but they might look back and regret that in ten years if riding doesn't work out.

"Everyone should have something to fall back on – we all know how harsh this game can be."

Garner and Baudains had an opening night recently

Garner has also ridden winners in Italy, France, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Jersey, and might get some inspiration for new pizza toppings during his upcoming trip to the States, where he rode four winners from just 16 rides in 2018.

They included success on the former Dan Skelton-trained Winner Massagot in a $40,000 contest at Montpelier racecourse in Virginia.

He said: "I go to America in April for two months for their spring season and will ride for Ricky Hendricks, Jonathan Sheppard, Richard Valentine and Leslie Young, and am looking forward to going back out.

"I'm stopping this season a bit short in Britain, but I think it's worth doing, especially if I can build up more contacts out there."

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