Jockey Saleem Golam swaps his boots and saddle for scissors to become a barber

Former champion apprentice Saleem Golam has swapped boots and saddle for comb and scissors and become a barber.

The man who shared the claimers’ title with Hayley Turner in 2005 will be "very surprised" if he rides again but hopes to be cutting the hair of Newmarket trainers rather than partnering their winners.

He had been pondering his future while in Dubai during the winter and said: "I had no interest in being a plumber or a window-fitter but I do have an interest in hair, beards and modern-day stuff."

He enrolled on a course at the London School of Barbering and graduated last week, after an enforced break midway when lockdown forced salons to close.

Saleem Golam: 'I'm no high-class barber but I passed the course, I'm focused on it and I want to get better'Credit: Saleem Golam

Golam, 37, said: "I was having a long day because I was riding out and then driving down to be in London for 12pm and the only reason you would do that was if you enjoyed it.

"I'm no high-class barber but I passed the course, I'm focused on it and I want to get better.

"The next step is building up a client base. With the contacts I have through racing and living in Newmarket, I'm hoping a lot of my friends will ask me to cut their hair and I'm trying to appeal to trainers and jockeys who are busy and would like someone to come to them. I hope word gets out there."

Lack of opportunity has forced Golam to ride mainly overseas in recent years and he said: "I'll never say never about anything but I have no intention of taking out a licence any time soon. I'd be very surprised if I was to ride again."

Golam has not ridden in Britain since 2017 but he stressed: "I have zero regrets. Things haven't been going my way for a good number of years but when you enjoy doing something you will explore every avenue and knock on every door – horses have taken me to 17 different countries and I've had a lot of fun.

"There comes a time when you've got to realise that the positive side of it is not quite there any more.

Saleem Golam winning the Dash at Epsom aboard Hogmaneigh in 2007Credit: Mark Cranham

"I always said I'd be happy as a journeyman jockey, getting a couple of rides a day and a winner a week. But when even that becomes unrealistic and it's one ride every four or five days and a winner every two months the excitement and the positivity is taken away and it can get quite stressful.

"This is not a decision that was made overnight, this is something that has been going on for quite a while and it came to a point where I had to be realistic. Being a jockey is a great thing but it was time to start thinking outside the box to move on."

Golam rode just short of 400 winners round the world, notably landing the Epsom Dash and Portland Handicap on Hogmaneigh for Stuart Williams.

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