JUMPING FOR JOY
Tom thriving on his overseas successes
TOM GARNER has two ambitious targets when racing finally emerges from the long shadow of Covid-19 – winning the US jump jockeys’ championship and ending his run of seconds in the Velka Pardubicka.
That might seem far-fetched for someone who failed to ride a winner in the UK last season, albeit in an injury-curtailed campaign.
But Garner enjoys a much higher profile abroad than at home.
In January, Oliver Sherwood’s No.2 jockey was on stage in Miami at the Eclipse Awards, where his regular mount Winston C was voted Chaser of the Year.
Not only did he ride the five-yearold to two Grade One championship race wins in Saratoga – he also bought the horse out of Harry Fry’s yard 12 months ago and passed it on to new connections in the States.
Garner is hunkered down at his base in Pennsylvania preparing for the delayed start of the US jumps season.
“I earned more money last season in the States than in the previous three years in Britain – and I have got my visa until January 2024,” said Garner, who will continue to shuttle between America and the UK.
“I’m first jockey to Leslie Young, living in a good safe area and the signs are that US jump racing will be starting before Britain.”
Garner was busy at the autumn sales and the former Roger Charltontrained Mojave, Boutonnière (Andrew Balding) and Rambaldi (Marco Botti) are among the team he hopes will boost his championship hopes in 2020.
“I was third in the title race last season when I broke my collarbone for a second time,” he added.
“The first occasion was in August, four days before I won on Winston C in the Turf Writers’ Cup. I rang Tony Mccoy and he advised to dose myself up with painkillers. So I was full of tramadol when I won on him in Saratoga.
“If I were lucky enough to win the US championship, I would dedicate it to one of my best mates, the former jockey James Banks, at whose February funeral I was a pallbearer. It was he who insisted I should try to make a go of it in the States.”
There’s also some unfinished business with Stretton on whom Garner has been a close runner-up in the last two versions of the Czech Republic’s Grand National.
He said: “I said I would never go back, but you can’t get so close without giving it another try.” As for his fall-back mobile business with former apprentice Josh Baudains, serving pizzas out of a converted horse trailer, that has also been hit by the coronavirus.
“We’ve lost all our bookings for weddings and festivals this summer,” he said. “Let’s hope it is up and running by the next firm booking, my 30th birthday party in October.”