Former Brentford star Jay Tabb to begin horse racing career this weekend

Former Brentford star Jay Tabb will begin another sporting journey on Sunday.
Jay Tabb of Brentford holds off Steve Jenkins (L) and Grant Smith of Swindon Town during the Coca-Cola First Division match (Photo by Ker Robertson/Getty Images)Jay Tabb of Brentford holds off Steve Jenkins (L) and Grant Smith of Swindon Town during the Coca-Cola First Division match (Photo by Ker Robertson/Getty Images)
Jay Tabb of Brentford holds off Steve Jenkins (L) and Grant Smith of Swindon Town during the Coca-Cola First Division match (Photo by Ker Robertson/Getty Images)

Former Crystal Palace and Brentford player Jay Tabb is making a return to top-level sports this weekend with his first horse racing event at Wincanton on Sunday.

The 37-year-old enjoyed a 16-year career as a midfielder, working his way through Crystal Palace’s youth academy before undertaking spells at Brentford, Coventry, Reading and Ipswich.

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He also played 10 times for the Republic of Ireland’s U21 team before retiring from football.

He learned to ride at the Northern Racing College before seeking out and landing a job for Philip Hobbs in 2019 after being impressed by the friendliness and facilities of the yard in YouTube videos.

He will now take to the saddle for the Fitzdares Racing Welfare Charity Flat Race on Sunday afternoon.

Tabb said: "It’d be a good achievement.

“There’s 12 of us riding with different levels of ability, as I think some have ridden in point-to-points so they’ll have a bit more experience than me.

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“I’m not expecting to win but I want to go out and enjoy it and hopefully not show myself up.

"Riding on a horse on a racecourse in the racing silks is a real privilege and I’m really lucky and grateful I get to do it.

“Horses are so unpredictable, I’ll be happy if we get to the start and can jump off nicely."

Paul Telfer of Southampton holds off Jay Tabb of Brentford during The FA Cup fifth Round Paul Telfer of Southampton holds off Jay Tabb of Brentford during The FA Cup fifth Round
Paul Telfer of Southampton holds off Jay Tabb of Brentford during The FA Cup fifth Round

Football and racing all require a certain level of dedication and discipline and Tabb is aware he will have to apply himself properly if he is to excel.

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“In all sports you can be fit in that discipline but when you go to another sport you find it to be totally different, that’s what I found with riding horses,” he said.

“The jockeys on TV make it look easy but it definitely isn’t when you’re on a horse, at first it was hard getting used to being in that position for a while.

“At the moment the fitness side of it seems to be going well, I’ve been doing a lot of work on the equicizer and I’d like to think I’m as ready as I can be.”

Hobbs has two horses earmarked for Tabb to ride in the race, with veteran chaser Rolling Dylan a possible mount alongside seven-year-old gelding Umndeni.

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“I think it’s between Rolling Dylan and Umndeni, they’ve both got entries as well this weekend and next week so I think whichever one doesn’t take up his entry I will probably ride at Wincanton,” Tabb said.