Tommie Jakes: Apprentice jockey dies aged 19

Young Jockey's Promising Career Cut Short by Tragic Death at 19

Tragedy has struck the world of horse racing with the sudden and shocking death of 19-year-old apprentice jockey Tommie Jakes. The talented young rider, who had already notched up an impressive 59 winners in just three years on the Flat in Britain, was found dead at his home near Newmarket on Thursday.

Jakes' death has sent shockwaves through the racing community, with many of his colleagues and trainers paying tribute to his skills, kind personality, and immense potential. The Professional Jockeys Association and Injured Jockeys Fund have announced the news, describing him as a "much-loved son and brother" whose family are now grieving at this terrible time.

In a statement, George Boughey Racing, where Jakes was an integral member of the team, said: "We are heartbroken by the news that our apprentice jockey Tommie Jakes has passed away. He was not only a hugely talented young rider with so much to look forward to, but an incredibly kind and hard-working young man."

Trainer Brian Meehan, who provided Jakes with three winners this year, described him as "a regular at the yard" and a "lovely lad". The British Horseracing Authority's acting chief executive Brant Dunshea said: "We are devastated to hear the news about Tommie. He was a talented young rider with the world at his feet, and had earned great praise from trainers for his horsemanship and attitude in just the last few months."

In the wake of Jakes' death, there will be marks of respect at Chelmsford and Southwell on Thursday and at racecourses across Britain on Friday. The racing community is coming together to support those close to the young rider who had so much promise and potential.

As news of Jakes' passing spreads, tributes are pouring in from across the industry, celebrating his life, talent, and kind spirit. His family's request for privacy at this difficult time has been respected, but it is clear that the world of horse racing will be forever changed by his tragic loss.

OMG this is so sad! My heart goes out to Tommie's fam, I know how tough it is when a young one leaves us too soon . You gotta give credit to the kid though, 59 winners at 19? That's insane talent & dedication . It's not just about winning either, he had a good heart & people loved him around the tracks . Can we please get some answers about safety measures in the racing industry tho? Safety should always come first for those little riders

omg what a tragedy like 19 is way too young for someone to leave us, jakes was already making waves in the racing world and had so much more to give, its sad to think about all the races he'll never get to ride in... his legacy will live on though, everyone's talking about how talented he was and how kind his personality was. RIP tommy, you're gonna be deeply missed

yeah, I know some people are gonna say he was just a kid and it's sad, but honestly, 19 is old enough to be making that much money from horses like, how many people can say they won 59 races at that age?! I'm not saying it's all about the benjamins, but let's be real, the kid had talent and was living his dream. shouldn't we be celebrating his life instead of just mourning his death? and btw, why is everyone so shocked? he was only 19, what did we expect him to do?

what a waste 19 year olds too young to die so much potential cut short he was on fire 59 winners in 3 years and now he's just a memory rest in peace Tommie Jakes

ugh, 19 yrs old and already gone can't even imagine how his family is dealing with this. 59 winners in three years? sounds like he was gonna be a big deal. but yeah, it's just not fair what's the point of all these tribute marks at the races? they're just gonna end up being a bunch of empty gestures to try and ease people's pain. and what about the racing itself? is anyone even gonna step forward to take Jakes' spot?

1 year later and I'm still trying to process the news about Tommie Jakes... what a waste of life at such a young age he was already making waves in the racing community with all those wins under his belt... it's heartbreaking to think about the potential that was cut short. I remember seeing his name pop up on racing forums and being like "who's this guy?" and then suddenly you hear about his passing... it's crazy how life can change so quickly

can you believe another young life cut short like a sprinter at the starting gate... 19 is way too young to go out I mean, Tommie Jakes was on fire - 59 winners in just three years? that's like me winning all my fantasy football leagues . Seriously though, condolences to his family and the racing community. It's not just a shock to us, but to his horses too... I guess you could say he was 'horsed' off life way too soon

just heard about tommy jakes he was so young and had his whole career ahead of him, it's just not fair 59 winners in 3 years is incredible, he was literally on fire this one hurts, i hope all the people who knew him get through this tough time

I feel so bad about this young dude Tommie Jakes . 19 years old, already had 59 wins? That's like a pro already! I mean, he was talented, kind and had a great work ethic - what more can you ask for from a rider? The racing community is really coming together to support his family right now, which is awesome . It's just so sad that his life got cut short in such an tragic way . We need to make sure that those who are left behind get the help and support they need during this tough time . The British Horseracing Authority should definitely look into improving rider safety and making the sport safer for all of them . It's a great tribute that he was an integral part of George Boughey Racing and made three wins with Trainer Brian Meehan - he truly was loved by everyone in the industry .

man that's so sad he was only 19 and had such a bright future ahead of him ... 59 winners in just three years is insane i feel for his family and everyone who knew him, it's crazy how quickly life can change like this

omg this is like so sad i cant even imagine how his fam must be feeling right now... 19 is way too young to go out like that. he was only just getting started in his career and had so much potential i hope the racing community can come together to support him's fam in any way they can. its crazy how you see these talented ppl pass away way too soon

This is just so sad . 19 is way too young to die. I mean, what was he even doing? Horse racing is crazy enough as it is with those massive horses and fast speeds... I don't think the risks outweigh the rewards for someone so young. And they say he had an "imense potential"? Like, we should've seen this coming, right? Wasn't there something about him getting into some trouble a while back? I need to fact-check that tho

omg what a tragedy! tomie jakes was like so talented & kinda had it all 59 winners in just 3 yrs on flat in britain?! that's insane he was only 19 tho, still got his whole life ahead of him it's just so sad, my heart goes out to his fam especially brian meehan, who said tomie was a "lovely lad" can't believe we're losing talented riders like this too soon

this is just heartbreaking news... 19 years old, so full of life and potential... it's crazy how quickly things can turn around like that. I'm sure we'll see many more talented riders come up through the ranks, but for now, our thoughts are with Tommie Jakes' family and friends . It's amazing to see how much his personality shone through - kind, hard-working, talented... what a wonderful person he was.

omg i'm still reeling from the news... 19 years old is just so young my heart goes out to Tommie's family and loved ones - they must be absolutely devastated. jakes was literally on top of his game too, with all those wins in just three years... it's like he had the whole world at his feet and now it's all taken away from him. the racing community is coming together to support each other during this terrible time - that's so beautiful . i just wish there was something more we could do, you know? to prevent this kind of thing from happening again

this is just so sad 19 years old and already an accomplished rider in the UK, what a tragedy his career was going to take him far if he had lived... all these tributes are lovely but it's hard not to think about what could've been... the racing community has lost a shining light

you know what this is like? another one bites the dust. always seems to happen right when they're on the rise 59 winners and he's taken away from us. what was it about being a jockey that made him so special? was it just luck or did something more go into his game? i'm not saying anyone did anything wrong, but can't help wondering if there's more to the story than we're being told

This is just heartbreaking ... 19 years old and already so much accomplished in the sport . You'd think you're invincible when you're young and talented, but life can take a cruel turn at any moment . The racing community coming together to pay respects is lovely , but it's not enough - we should be doing more to prevent this kind of tragedy from happening again . We need to make sure that our young riders are supported better, both on and off the track .

this is such sad news poor tomie 19 years old is way too young to go he was so talented and had a great future ahead of him can't believe he's gone now my thoughts are with his family and all the people who knew him he will be deeply missed by everyone in the racing community