George Baker’s Blog

Wind and rain....

Blowing in several directions....

Producing very diverse going reports across racing's domestic landscape....

Ffos Las abandoned today - languishing under standing water, and more a snipe bog than a racecourse...

Bath "Soft" after well over 50mm of rain in recent days. They cannot water at Bath. Which should, I reckon, read "they don't water at Bath". It is accepted, and oft mentioned, that this is the only track in the country that is unable to water their racing surface. Why ?? The Romans were pretty good at getting water up a hill - but two millennia later, Bath racecourse can power the showers in the Weighing Room, but not water the track when the ground gets rattling fast. Why....??

It would be expensive to put in a system - and "expensive" is a very dirty word where Arena Racing are involved...

Doncaster "Good" ahead of the start of the St Leger meeting...

"Good" is good for us, and GET IT is declared for Saturday's valuable Portman Handicap. We got lucky with the draw at "Glorious" - although I'm sure he would have won The Stewards Cup wherever he had been drawn......???!!!

England looking off the pace in the first T20 against Australia. Too much international cricket being shoe-horned into September. Marginalised by something called "The Hundred" that seems to have been prioritised by the wise bean counters...

TLNCK will not care when county cricket is played as long as Archie Bailey is involved. 4-30 in Middlesex's second innings. Very cool...

National Racehorse Week in full swing. Because of our impending move and the sale of Robins Farm, we are not in a position to leap behind this fine initiative this year. The doors of Downs House in Epsom will certainly be open next year. And if you are interested in visiting before we leave Robins Farm, please be in touch...

We would be delighted to see you - but, be warned, I will be trying to sell you a leg in an easy moving flying machine of a yearling....

 

Sir Michael....

Indisputably, a legend of the turf. And one of the greatest racehorse trainers of all time....

Whilst sometimes less than forthcoming when the media came banging on the front door, he has never been anything other than great company when our paths have crossed at the races or at Lords...

The end of an era...

Time slips by. And careers come to an end, leaving just memories and a pile of statistics...

The consummate horseman, a master trainer, up there at the very pinnacle of our sport...

A constant on race cards throughout my racing life. Henry Cecil. Jeremy Tree. Dick Hern. Peter Walwyn. Richard Hannon. Barry Hills. A golden generation....

May Sir Michael have many happy years of retirement. Watching cricket with a glass of something sensible to hand. And with the mobile telephone switched off. Although I suspect that the mobile might not be close to hand very often anyway. Irritating contraptions that blunder full bore into our lives....

Sad to hear of the passing of Richard Morecombe. Taken far too young. "Morcy", as he was known to all, was full of enthusiasm and fun and not a little mischief. The founder of the successful Chelsea Thoroughbreds, Morcy has been an ever present at every big race meeting and festival. A glass never far from hand and a decent punt to be pondered. He will be missed by many...

Another character exits life's stage...

Keep bloody kicking, one and all...

We know not what is around the next bend in the road...

Don't leave questions unanswered, and experiences undercooked...

Press life's gamble button. And enjoy the ride...

No runners today. Ffos Las abandoned tomorrow. So no need for our lorry to take on the ffos ("effing far over the Severn...") trek on this occasion...

Huge congratulations to TLNCK's boy Archie Bailey. Making his first class debut at Lords for Gloucestershire. What a huge thrill for Kim and Clare. A massive achievement - and here's hoping that this is a stepping stone to a stellar professional career....

Dunstall Park....

Wolverhampton....

Even her mother would struggle to find this racecourse attractive...

Slap and bang in the middle of urban sprawl, it will never feature in a calendar of "Britain's 12 most beautiful racecourses..."

But she has more than played her role in our madcap gallop of the last 15 years...

This is where it all began when Matthew Davies steered the rather wonderful Music Box Express home to victory on a grey March afternoon. I can still see every stride of the home straight - and feel the handshake as Matt leant down from his mount out on the track. Matt all impish grin and cheeky delight...

Ted Durcan rode us our 50th winner here. I think it was Ghufa...

And then Wolverhampton and Welsh Goalkeeper Wayne Hennessy's mare (Jeez, what was she called....??) brought up the century. Wayne stayed with us at Whitsbury occasionally. Barney Baker pedalling down into the village and telling his mates to come and take penalties against the Welsh goalkeeper in the garden. "Yeah, right, of course you have the Welsh goalkeeper in the garden Barney...."

A couple of watering cans as goalposts. Wayne brilliant with the kids. Barney's street cred pretty high...

Yensi. That was her name...

Once a week, horse boxes would head to Wolverhampton at dawn for work mornings from our Moreton Morrell yard. Our horses loved the place. Plenty won there...

One morning, Barney Curley was there too. A huge white blazed chestnut catching the eye in his work. Barney had not had a winner for a while. We lined one up for an amateur handicap, Simon Walker up. Sir Alex's If I Had Him. Two horses pulled miles clear. Us - and a huge white-blazed chestnut. We came second - bit part players in Barney's day...

In his book that recounted the tale of the coup - "I was delighted to see George Baker's horse being backed as it made the market for us...."

Sir Alex rarely came second. We all came second to Barney. Fun to be a footnote of a cool tale...

Blacklion providing another small "footnote" last night...

Not the easiest. In fact, a bit bonkers when landing with us. The team have done superbly well to settle him down - a bit. Fast and late last night under Pat C...

Pat to 999 domestic winners...

St Leger week....

Encke blowing Camelot's triple crown bid out of the water...

Harbour Law giving the Mongans and the other George Baker one hell of a day...

Sixties Icon. Scorpion. Hurricane Lane. Kingston Hill...

Nijinsky. Bustino. Commanche Run and Lester...

With the fashion leaning towards speed, the St Leger has struggled to hold its position as a defining race. But those who win it are unlikely to care too much that their horse is most likely headed for National Hunt stallion duties...

Aidan dominating the head of the market. No surprise...

Get It will be entered in the Portland that forms part of a strong undercard. The weather, as ever, will dictate a plan or three...

The St Leger bringing down the curtain on the domestic Classic year...

The leaves on several trees and hedgerows are on the turn. The times they are a' changin.....

National Hunt stables stirring from summer breaks...

Novice Hurdle winners soon to be burdened with Cheltenham quotes...

Sales catalogues piled high...

International programmes to be discussed and pored over - and teams formed...

Plans and planning...

Dots and i's....

Yearlings to be broken..

Races to be run...

A Scotch Mist...

Hanging heavy over the borders this morning...

The Surrey - Sussex borders...

Very still, very quiet, the calm after one hell of a storm...

Torrential rainfall in these parts over the past couple of days. Yesterday, I came across a huge puddle on a country lane. A cyclist approaching from the other direction. I stopped midstream to let him by...

"Good luck" I shouted as he pedalled furiously through the deep water, leaving a wake behind....

"F**k off" came the reply. Charming....?!

The storm that blew in on Thursday morning came in good time for our Storm. Newbury "Good to Firm" the night before - and they watered the final furlong and the pull-up area in the early hours of Thursday morning. Not sure why - but not complaining as Bletchley Storm likes the ground knee deep. Whilst others cried enough, Jim Crowley steered her through the mud to a convincing and well deserved victory. Her fourth of 2024...

She is not straightforward - but the team have done a superb job in settling her down, and she is giving her "Summer Of Fun" syndicate plenty to shout about....

Kempton today. One of their better cards, and removed from the "betting shop fodder" that they peddle through midweek nights...

CEMHAAN (Neil Callan) in the Group 3 September Stakes. Neil gave this horse a superb ride when winning the prestigious Rosebery Handicap in the Spring. But this is tougher again with the likes of the evergreen Hamish and the progressive Kalpana and Lion's Pride in opposition...

When our great friend Peter Jensen won The Rosebery in 2005 with the mighty Kew Green (who we owned for a while), he received a fabulous silver trophy...

This year, Cemhaan's owner received a rather generic and dull glass bowl. And so he is having a replica of Peter's trophy made that will sit on his dining room table alongside The Royal Hunt Cup, The Ayr Gold Cup, the Topkapi Trophy from Istanbul, a decent pot from Dubai and others...

The legend that is HIERONYMUS (Nicola Currie) runs in the London Series Final. In 2021, he was beaten a head in this prestigious final by Tahitian Prince - who is now with us. Swings and....

Anno Domini maybe catching up with old legs (I know the feeling...), but the old boy qualifies for this big prize and so we will take our chances....

SIMPLY SONDHEIM (Pat C) completes our hand in the mile and a half handicap. A horse who has been bubbling under, and running better than his form figures suggest....

Elsewhere, a joy to see local lad Ollie Pope scoring a century just as the "white noise" was beginning to rise. Ollie is not the finished article - but he is pure class, and will iron out the quirks in time...

Jack Draper's US Open odyssey is over. But a great effort...

Weekend well - and may all your horses, whether you own them or punt them, run like the wind....

475 kilometres....

From Sydney. They are racing at Wagga right now...

Every morning, one of the televisions in the corner of the office is tuned to Australian racing for an hour or so. They are in the paddock for the 6th at Mackay right now...

I wonder whether there are Australian Racehorse Trainers who wake up to see the horses at the post at Cartmel, Chelmsford, Catterick or Carlisle....??

Wagga. Is that the same as Wagga Wagga ?? Where they have those famous "picnic races" that sound good craic. An Australian mate has always told me that I have never really experienced the real essence of sport until I have attended the picnic races. A Pom at an Aussie picnic....?!

If several lotteries and Stewards Cups are won between now and then (an unlikely scenario - but in this game, you have to dream..), perhaps I can take in a picnic race or three in between watching England regain The Ashes next winter. Important to dream a little in life - not just "in this game....."

No point dying wondering. We are a long time dead etc etc. Don't say "No" too often...

In the paddock now for the 5th at Coff's Harbour. Spring sunshine. The weather looks stunning. Slightly different to here where the storm clouds are gathering, and there is plenty of rain around...

Coff's Harbour looks pretty relaxed and informal. What does Google tell me...??

"Coff's Harbour Racing Club and Function Centre." On the coast. New South Wales. A stone's throw from "The Big Banana Fun Club"....

A win double ?? Racing - followed by the Big Banana......??

The Jerry Zuvela Lounge looks a cool place to hang out. Food and drink aplenty, views over the winning line, close by the mounting yard...

I'm assuming the "mounting yard" is the paddock and not some affiliation with the Big Banana Fun Club.....

The 5th goes to Our Bambino. Trained by Wayne Wilkes. Ridden by Shae Wilkes. Father and son....??

A family affair...

I think I might be disappearing down an Australian racing rabbit hole here. Some cool tracks in the sunshine and decent prize money. What's not to like ? A tour would be fun. A busman's holiday. All work - obviously...

Father and son...??

Nope, pretty sure that is father and daughter. Or trainer and girlfriend. Or trainer and Goddaughter....

Rabbit hole....??!!

Back to reality...

Lingfield (GRAIGNES and ARGENTALI) for me. Candida to Newbury to saddle BLETCHLEY STORM - who won't mind any rain...

I wonder whether there will be any Australian racehorse trainers waking up, bleary eyed, with Lingfield and Newbury playing in the corner of their racing offices...??

 

Long odds on....

That Callum Shepherd's very silly suspension would be overturned....

A warped, costly and entirely unnecessary display of BHA silliness...

An 18 day suspension through a core part of the season would financially have hit hard. Save for those with the big money retainers (few and far between..), jockeys are effectively self employed. Callum has had a stellar and well deserved year of continued success - but absence from the track leads to opportunities for others, and regular rides can suddenly become the preserve of others...

"Very silly......."

Very silly. A million to one that those involved in making that deluded decision will be sanctioned. That is not the way of it. Jockeys and Trainers are pettily fined when a quiet word in the ear would be the modus operandi of more enlightened entities. On a number of occasions, you can almost see the glee as news of some petty misdemeanour is conveyed. To be followed by a fine...

A quiet and explanatory word should be the way. But no, the "them and us" mentality that seems to be embedded in the BHA means that minor infractions are writ large in dull emails and notices....

The BHA and horse men and women are on the same side. But, very regularly, it does not feel that way...

Every entity requires rules. And it is the responsibility of all to adhere by the same. But the lack of empathy and common sense on occasion is bewildering. A little give and take and a quiet word or three....

Some chance...

Hollie hitting 1000 winners. A very cool achievement from a supremely talented rider. A meteoric rise...

Early morning, and a large horse box has just pulled onto the yard...

"How many of you have got on there ?"

"Eight".

"Leave them all here. I'm sure nobody else will mind, and it make your day easier...."

Worth a try...

Three for us. The dreaming starts here. The first new Yearlings on the place. To be trained on those exceptional Epsom gallops next spring...

More on them and others to follow. Restocking. Building a strong team, both equine and human, for the next stage...

Some lovely orders to fill. Others bought on spec. We need to have horses in our shiny new shop window. Sales aplenty in the months ahead. Epsom stables to fill. Long hours and hard work for all. But hugely exciting, and I look forward to sharing all news and views as our plans continue to evolve...

The Shop is open. Roll up...

There are ways....

That we hope that our days will fall...

Sometimes, they drop right...

Inevitably, often they do not. Especially when you throw the variable of sport into the mix...

Brighton yesterday fell into the category marked, "often they do not....."

A reason or three. A frustration or four. We analyse, react, adapt and move on. No option...

Raging hot at Brighton Racecourse. The stables airless and clammy. The team doing a great job in the circumstances. Not easy in those conditions...

That Calendar has clicked around into September, and this morning felt autumn dark. A humid haze over the place right now...

The Calendar clicking over, and the well trodden timeline pulling us through the year. The Yearling Sales in full swing. Today and tomorrow, the Somerville Yearling Sale at Tattersalls. 465 lots. Plenty that can be discounted on pedigree alone. Personally, I like to see the Dam having performed to a level of 80 or higher. Of course, there will be exceptions to every rule...

But hard to drum up interest when the Dam has run moderately herself and has produced little of note...

Never an exact science - and there will be plenty that fly in the face of logic. And defy the odds. Part of the charm...

Candida on the early charge around the M25 to hook up with Ted Durcan in Newmarket. I'm hoping to follow later...

Separately, the Bahrain team taking shape. Both human and equine...

A strong core team in both. And an ongoing conversation with another trainer that could be positive for all involved. A space to be watched...

The Bahrain Turf Series starting a little later this year on December 20th. And running through until The King's Cup on 7th March...

As ever, "Have Horse, Will Travel...."

Elsewhere, Gus Atkinson filling the Honours Board at Lords. Sterner tests lie ahead - and already all eyes, and plans, are focused on The Ashes in just over a year's time. I have not been to Australia for about 30 years. Time to put that right....

August 30th....

Two things...

Firstly, how on earth did we get here so quickly ? The cusp of September, and it feels like yesterday that I was taking down the Christmas Tree...

Secondly, this is the day that Government Affordability Checks on gambling come into play...

Andrew Black, the founder of Betfair, knows a thing or three about the gambling business. And he is pretty downbeat on the effect that these checks will have on the funding of our sport. Funding that is wafer thin as it is. Some analysts suggest that these checks will wipe £250 million from the sport's revenues over the next 5 years. Unaffordable and unsustainable numbers....

How will this play out ? There is talk of it all being "light touch" and non invasive. Certainly for the smaller punters...

But if those who enjoy the occasional swing of the bat at one that they fancy, and with money that they can afford, are stopped dead in their tracks as they pursue a chosen leisure pursuit, they will head elsewhere pretty quickly. Apparently google has never seen so many searches for "Black Market Bookmakers....."

And you can bet your last Placepot pennies that those running these off shore and unregulated operations will be doing everything that they can to attract the punters. I have heard tales of eye watering incentives - effectively, "free money". Odds guarantees and money back concessions. I have googled "Black Market Bookmakers" myself - and I know how drastic their rise will be for the greater good....

Sometimes, just sometimes, the doom mongers overplay their hands. And maybe "light touch" will be exactly that. And recreational punters will continue to enjoy their chosen pastime without intrusive intervention - and the sport's funding will not be hammered to the tune of tens of millions of pounds. We shall see....

If we go on like this, the Government will think of bringing in further "Big Brother" doctrines. Such as banning smoking outside pubs and leisure hubs. They would not be so foolish as to mention this without even speaking with those businesses likely to be deeply impacted ?? Would they ?? They can't be that short sighted and stupid ?? Surely.....

Kempton gallopers yesterday morning. A stunning dawn. All good...

And then onto Lords. ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTTTT.......!!

A happy day in the sunshine surrounded by great friends and family....

During Covid, Lords created a wall. Filled with plaques. Some commemorated great sporting deeds. Some are filled with the words of those for whom this is a special place...

Mine simply says, "These Are The Days."

An Arab sky...

Over Sussex...

Hard to describe. Just the kind of dawn sky that is the precursor to a hot day...

And the type of sky that we see on most mornings in Bahrain on the drive from the apartment in Manama to the quarantine barns at Sakhir Racecourse. The hustle and bustle of early morning. Cars, lorries and motorbikes headed in all directions. Wing mirrors in full use as the conventions of European motorway driving are a million miles from this...

Across the parched desert landscape, children wending their way to school. The occasional shepherd stooped over his crook as his flock wander hither and thither. The call to prayer from high minarets. Market stalls being prepared for the day's trade. In the distance, the flames rise high above a nodding donkey as the oil is drawn upwards from deep below...

Car horns blaring. Motorbikes slaloming. Lorries bullying. Wing mirrors and wits....

A mile from the racecourse, a huge Bahraini flag billowing in the wind. Vast. Impressive. Flying over a Royal Compound. Which is where, apparently, those in the know will head if words like "coup" drift into conversation...

The dual carriageway ending in a handbrake switchback bend. Away to the right, a vast Royal Palace. Of which there are several...

Left at the traffic lights, and the mile long entrance to Sakhir Racecourse. Last year, Lucander and Pat C emblazoned all over the Grandstand. Pretty cool to turn up at a racecourse to see your horse up in lights. It is 1/100 this year that it will be the mighty Isle of Jura who bedecks the brickwork. And quite rightly so....

A wave and a smile and a flick of a pass at the Gatehouse. On past the back of the Stands and up to the Quarantine Barns. Like a neatly stacked domino hand, white hire cars. All racing staff are provided with a hire car - similar hire cars. Very similar hire cars. Remember your registration number... 

And so the Bahrain day begins...

Close by the barns, the crack of rifle fire. Not, thankfully, of the "coup" variety. A military base. And they don't mind practising hard...

On the near horizon, a vast Mosque. And, slightly incongruously, a vaster Roman Catholic Church...

Wild dogs skitter across the barren lands. The Royal cavalry trot by. Impressive to behold - but they set off Lucander. Who does not need much excuse to "set off". Sit tight...

The Racecourse and the training track no more than 400 metres away. A dusty walk. The sprinklers at play on the turf tracks...

Shouted greetings and waves aplenty. I know exactly who some of them are. I have no clue about others. But a smile and a wave and a word never went amiss...

So begin our Bahraini days...

This morning's Arab sky over Sussex reminding me of those Arab dawns. Alluring. Exciting. Mystical and magical...

A very different culture - but a culture that has crept deep under my skin. Some have brought horses here and turned away. Muttering "never again...."

Entirely the opposite for me...

Given the chance, "forever...."