The Blog

December 31st

The last day of a year that I will never forget - and ending with a "stable tour" in today's issue of The Racing Post Weekender.

And so nearly ended on a winning note after Confederate's second placing in the finale at Lingfield yesterday. A fine run from this horse who is still a big baby and has plenty to learn. Turning in, I thought we had it - but those Mark Johnston horses are so tough to get by.....

At least the winner, who has had a whole host of problems, is well thought of - and, at $750,000, slightly more expensive than the £12,000 Timeform gurus Simon Walker and Kieran Packman paid for our horse at the Tatts Horses-In-Training Sales.

Great that several members of The Timeform Betfair Racing Club were in attendance, and that Jim McGrath had made the effort to come all the way down from Yorkshire. Those famous Phil Bull colours so nearly victorious - a privilege to be training a horse to run in them, and let's hope that we can go one better soon.

No runners today. A rivetting day of paperwork ahead. And then an apparently celebrity laden New Year's Eve Party tonight, Charlie Brooks and Jeremy Clarkson among the hosts. I am already looking forward to the drive to Exeter Racecourse tomorrow ........ 

December 30th

Blacker than black out there - but we have "allegedly" gone past the shortest day - and so things can only get better. In just over 2 months time, we will be heading through the Cotswolds, the lanes flanked by daffodils, to the Cheltenham Festival. The last race always off after 5.30 pm - a sign that Spring has arrived.

The novelty value of feeding in the early hours in the pitch black beginning to wear off - please, please can we have a proper Summer in '09 to pay us all back. 

To leafy Lingfield this afternoon. Although "leafy" no longer applies........ 

Confederate, a fine looking horse, runs in the last, and the Racing Post have him in as a short priced favourite. We are still learning about this horse, and it would not surprise me if he needs further in time. A good fun dual purpose prospect for the Timeform Betfair Racing Club.

December 27th

Bitterly cold again, the Crimean tractor struggling to splutter into gear, very thankful for Patrick's jump leads.....

With all the brilliant racing taking place around the land, I have to admit that I am not exactly relishing the prospect of Great Leighs tonight. 9.20 on the frozen steppes of the Essex showground is only "quite" an alluring prospect. But if little Maddy can return to winning ways, it will immediately become a good place to be.

Kauto Star breathtaking yesterday. But to my mind Kempton plays perfectly to his strengths. Come Cheltenham time, there can be only one winner - the monster that is Denman.....

Boxing Day

A frenzy of Nintendo Wii's, useless plastic items, chocolate and cuddly toys - and Barney and Tallulah got some presents too.....

It would be nice to be waking up this time next year and heading off to one or two of the higher profile meetings. As it is, I will be glued to the television, watching the racing with Uncle Blacksheep. Some great sport to be savoured.

The team all stepping up to the plate and appearing early yesterday morning to get the horses done before heading off to their families for Christmas lunch. And another quietish morning today with only one lot heading out to the gallops. Normal service resumed tomorrow.....

Maddy our next probable runner. Already looking forward to the delights of Great Leighs at 9.20 tomorrow night. The needy and the greedy will head anywhere for the chance of a winner....??!! 

Christmas Eve

An average day on the Racecourse yesterday....

Friendly King actually probably ran his best race yet to finish third in Fontwell's opener. Solent set off at a million miles an hour and they were racing from a long way out. The most pleasing aspect of FK's performance was how doggedly he battled on up the hill when he could so easily have cried enough.

Andrew got off him and said that the horse had given him a fantastic feel - the feel of a horse who has the ability to land some decent prizes in time. 

Bugsy's Boy's jumping left a little to be desired - although I think he would still have finished third had he not taken a tired looking fall at the last. Plenty of schooling for this fellow - and he is another who will improve with age and experience.

Kangrina a disappointment at Southwell. I really hoped that after her latest run at Wolverhampton she would have her day yesterday. But Dane reported that she was never travelling, and he put it down to the surface. She will not be going back to Southwell.....

No racing today - and so it will be to the shops for me. Typically organised with the Christmas shopping !!

Barney and Tallulah already in a high state of excitement. Blacksheep on the horizon. Naughty joining us for Christmas Lunch. A fun few days ahead.....

A very Happy Christmas to all of you have kindly bothered to follow our first few months via the inane witterings on this blog. I will never forget 2008 - if 2009 is half as good, I will be thrilled......

  

December 23rd

Back to life....

Back to reality (reality, in my case, being the 4.30 alarm call).

A stunning few days away with family and great friends. The batteries recharged - I think. Just google "Point Lookout, Mustique" and you will see what we had to put up with....

But great to be back amongst the horses just now. A few new ones have arrived whilst we were away, and Mick is going to need be in "Challenge Annika" mode for a few more weeks yet. At least 50 horses around the place here - another 20, primarily yearlings, with Pat and Valerie, and several expected in the weeks ahead. Expectations have been surpassed - and then surpassed again.....

To Sunny Sussex today with Friendly King and Bugsys Boy,  whilst Kangrina looks to have a decent shout of getting off the mark for us at Southwell. A stable tour interview for the Racing Post Weekender scheduled for the journey down - and Matt Chapman rang last night asking for a live interview for the ATR. I hope the mobile reception in deepest Sussex is up to it.....

The horsebox for Fontwell just pulled up - back out into the December gloom I go....   

December 19th

A dominant performance by Clear Sailing at Southwell yesterday, and enormous credit for this victory must go to Graham Rougier who has put in literally hours of work with this horse.

Recalcitrant would be polite. This horse has barely touched the gallops in the past few weeks, Graham taking him off around the farm and the roads, and Jamie loose schooling him in the indoor school to keep him reasonably fit.

Patrick and Valerie masterminding his training regime - and getting "pay-back" yesterday with a no frills, no nonsense ride from Chris Catlin. A brilliant effort from the team - and I hope a few of them snaffled some Christmas money.....

Like many of ours, CS was heavily backed. It seems at present that a minor move for one of ours creates a snowball effect - and some of the horses are being unbelievably heavily backed. At least we are being noticed......

Three today - and Swiss Lake Sweetie at Wolverhampton looking our best chance. But both our earlier runners, Double Law (Ascot) and Rebelwithoutacause (Southwell), have each-way chances.....      

December 18th

Pretty amazing, to my mind, to be able to click a button on my laptop and watch, live, the 3.25 from Bangor yesterday. Admittedly those cheeky Racing Post people charge a pound for the pleasure - but great to be able to keep in touch from the other side of the Atlantic.....

Double Dash is a lovely prospect. Green as the greenest thing through the race yesterday, he stuck on really well through the closing stages to finish 3rd at 66/1. A highly encouraging debut from a horse who certainly looks to have a future.

And the enigma that is Clear Sailing at Southwell this afternoon. He could walk away with this contest if in the right mood.

Just gone 7.00 a.m. here - and the happy squeal of the children in the background as they leap in and out of the waves. Difficult to believe that it will be Christmas Day a week today - the Mustique Christmas trees have a slightly incongruous look about them in the tropical heat....  

December 17th

Sunny.

Sorry...........

December 16th

Lunch can be dangerous.....!!

Just over a month ago, C and I lunched with Ted and Gaynor Voute in "Oscars" in Leamington Spa. The rain lashed against the windows - and all our thoughts turned to sunnier climes. Fuelled by a bit of "Dutch courage", a plan was hatched.......

That cunning plan has come to fruition, and I am writing this from (apologies...) Bryan Adams' house in Mustique.

Holidays always come attached with a degree of guilt. "This is not what first season racehorse Trainers should be doing etc etc"...

But the batteries were in danger of running on empty. It has been an extraordinary year, one that I will cherish the memory of forever, but our bodies and minds have been crying out for a breather.

And Barney and Tallulah, of whom we have asked ridiculous questions, deserve to be unnutterably spoilt. C and I have whizzed around at a frenetic pace, the children forced to follow in our wake. To spend a few days with them is magical.......

And the strength of the team at home ensures that this is already a "holiday". Pat and Valerie Murphy completely in control, the rest of the gang, as ever, stepping up to the plate and ensuring that we maintain the upward curve.

And a time for C and I to take a step back and reflect. This has been a "gilded" year. The support we have had has been nothing short of extraordinary - and unbelievably humbling. But this is only a beginning. The feet are firmly rooted in the ground. No delusions of grandeur or a feeling of "job done" from Team Baker. We have worked incredibly hard to make this good start - now we want to move onto the next level.....

2008 has been the year of my life. I am living the dream. But we all want more. No resting on laurels from us. 

I am so fortunate to have surrounded myself with an exceptional team of people. I need to pay them back. I need to take them onto a bigger stage. And now with the batteries recharging by the minute, I cannot wait for '09 and the next chapter........