Baileys Blog

Plus 11 and dry when driving in.

Dunkirk last night. The film. Worth seeing.

Archie has his cousin Georgina Wills staying so yesterday they saw a film..I went next door to watch Dunkirk. Supper after at Fat Toni’s..Yes I knew you wanted to know all that..

The construction of our new sand gallop is drawing to a close and it should be finished by tomorrow night. The gallop master made by Odon that will be used on it has arrived, so we are getting there.

The majority of our horses have now started cantering.. we are now doing one canter up the hill with most.

The third Test starts today at The Oval and South Africa look strong or rather England need to improve on their dire performance at Trent Bridge. Joe Root must lead with a sensible helmet.

Understanding Engineers..

An engineer was crossing a road one day, when a frog called out to him and said, "If you kiss me, I'll turn into a beautiful princess."

He bent over, picked up the frog, and put it in his pocket.

The frog spoke up again and said, "If you kiss me, I'll turn back into a beautiful princess and stay with you for one week.

The engineer took the frog out of his pocket, smiled at it and returned it to the pocket.

The frog then cried out, "If you kiss me and turn me back into a princess, I'll stay with you for one week and do anything you want."

Again, the engineer took the frog out, smiled at it and put it back into his pocket.

Finally, the frog asked, "What is the matter? I've told you I'm a beautiful princess and that I'll stay with you for one week and do anything you want. Why won't you kiss me?"

The engineer said, "Look, I'm an engineer. I don't have time for a girlfriend, but a talking frog - now that's cool.

Understanding Engineers..

What is the difference between mechanical engineers and civil engineers?

Mechanical engineers build weapons. Civil engineers build targets.

Plus 14 and dry when driving in.. It looks unlikely to remain so for much longer.

St Denys Church was busy for Mercy Rimell’s funeral yesterday. A good service and Newmarket trainer Michael Bell certainly did a great job on his Eulogy.. Fred Knipe read The Trainer.. Something every owner should read!

Current trainers included Nicky Henderson, J.J.O'Neill, Martin Meade and a few retired one including Jim Old, Henrietta Knight, Simon Christian and David Gandolfo..  It was especially good to see Martin Tate, now 94; Martin was as bright as a button and regaled us on how many of his horses won after a few quiet runs.. yes racing was different in those days?

I sat between Jonjo O’Neill and Rupert Bell..Rupert mentioned that his main problem now is that he better known for being the father of Oli!

Corse Lawn Hotel (A particular favourite of both Fred and Mercy Rimell) for light refreshments after the service and then Barry and Penny Hills and Nicky Henderson and Sophie led me astray.. Barry who was born in Kinnersely thought he knew the area well so took us off on a wild goose chase down memory lane looking for a suitable place for a late lunch.. All were closed so we finally ended up, via Upton Upon Severn, for a very very late lunch in Cheltenham at The Tavern.. That lot certainly have stamina…and drivers..

No jockeys in this morning. David Bass in France... working.

Happy birthdays to Philip Hobbs and my assistant Mat Nicholls

Understanding Engineers..

A priest, a doctor, and an engineer were waiting one morning for a particularly slow group of golfers.

The engineer fumed, "What's with those guys? We must have been waiting for fifteen minutes!"

The doctor chimed in, "I don't know, but I've never seen such inept golf!"

The priest said, "Here comes the greens-keeper. Let's have a word with him."He said, "Hello George, What's wrong with that group ahead of us? They're rather slow, aren't they?"

The greens-keeper replied, "Oh, yes. That's a group of blind firemen. They lost their sight saving our clubhouse from a fire last year, so we always let them play for free anytime!"

The group fell silent for a moment. The priest said, "That's so sad. I think I will say a special prayer for them tonight"

The doctor said, "Good idea. I'm going to contact my ophthalmologist colleague and see if here's anything she can do for them."

The engineer said, "Why can't they play at night?"

Plus 11 and dry when driving in.

A rare round of golf last night.

Archie, who must have watched some of The Open Championship last week decided to challenge me for a round at Royal Shipton..Neither of us would have made the cut but it was a lovely evening for a stroll, mostly in the long grass..

Mike Evans who owns the course really does do a great job on this 9 hole course; it is always immaculate. It is of course incredibly handy for us.

Racings future or rather next years fixtures have been announced .. yet more meetings and more evening ones just to make matters worse.. for the staff I mean who really don’t appreciate evening racing.

The headlines of an injection of £9.7m in to grassroots racing might look all well and good but we could do with an injection of £9.7m into finding and funding stable staff to look after the horses who go to all these meetings. The shortage of stable staff in now worse than ever and I don’t know of a yard that is not looking for staff.

Racing is not a bad job to be involved in and the rates of pay and conditions have certainly improved. There seems to be a complete shortage of young people looking to work in out sport and that needs to be addressed before it gets any worse..

I take on work experience people during the summer;  at least that way some might stay in racing later but is it not just racing that is struggling. I certainly know that farming and the hotel and restaurant trade are struggling too.

Moving on it has not been a good weekend for Evelyn Nicholls, Mats wife.

Evelyn was given Regal Approach by Paul Vogt when he retired from racing and she has loved and treasured him ever since. Regal Approach has been her life; she and RA have had so fun hacking and riding him around the Cotswolds..

Sadly last week he coliced and then had to have emergency surgery to try and resolve the problem .. unfortunately it was down hill from there and yesterday the decision was made to put the old boy down.. poor Evelyn is understandably distraught..

Graham Potts our vet was here early this morning as he, like me, will be attending Mercy Rimell’s funeral in Severn Stoke this morning (11am).

Newmarket trainer Michael Bell who was one of Mercy’s ‘golden boys’ will be giving the address.. Not sure N,T-D or I ever came close to be called that, but having said that our days working with the Rimell’s were fun and both of us certainly learnt a great deal. Yes today really is the end of an era.

This weeks movers and shakers in the BHA handicap charts are..Sonneofpresenting goes up another 3lbs for not running to 130 which is annoying while Forgotten Hero enters at 118.

I have 4 tickets to Lords this coming Thursday night.. Middlesex are playing Essex in the twenty 20.. Due to unforeseen circumstances I cannot go.. If you would like them please get in touch.. owners of mine first in the queue

Understanding Engineers

Three engineering students were gathered together discussing who must have designed the human body

One said, "It was a mechanical engineer. Just look at all the joints."

Another said, "No, it was an electrical engineer. The nervous system has many thousands of electrical connections."

The last one said, "No, actually it had to have been a civil engineer. Who else would run a toxic waste pipeline through a recreational area?"

Plus 14 and blustery when driving in. An autumnal feel about the weather this morning.

Stratford Racecourse was very busty yesterday, I believe it was ladies day judging by how smartly dressed some people were.. Our runner Policy Breach finished 4th.

What a weekend of sport..

England won a nail biting Woman’s World Cup at Lords. Jordan Spieth won the Open Championship.. he is only 23! Chris Froome won a 4th Tour de France ( my would we have celebrated it is was not for Lance Armstrong putting the whole sport under a doping cloud) Britain’s in the Para Athletics won more medals than ever and what great watching on TV it was too.. Archie was glued to it.. What remarkable people these athletes are. In racing rookie trainer Olly Murphy shoved in four winners yesterday while Paul Nicholls did the same.. He and Nicky Hendeson have really taken on the importance of summmer racing when it comes to numbers and prize money.. yes the modern world..

The BBC have certainly opened a can of worms when announcing their salary structures.... gender pay structure is now very much in the news.. Please note that the gender pay structure does not happen in racing.. well it certainly does not here.

I tried out a new form of audio communication on my owners over the weekend which went down well with most, but not all.. That’s life, but we keep trying to make our owners involvement in racing fun, and communication is so terribly important..

Monday morning and fresh horses.

David Green here later today to discuss the merits of Racing FX

John Turner sent this one over..

A group of priests challenged some nuns to a game of darts in a pub local to both. Agreement was reached - 501, double to finish,  with the priests to chalk the scores.

The nuns threw first and their initial player scored an impressive 120. "One hundred and twenty" shouted the scorer.

Next up was the newly ordained priest. First dart - treble 20. Second dart, single 20. "Go for Shanghai" urged his team mates. He took a deep breath, aimed, hit the wire and the dart bounced back and hit one of the watching nuns between the eyes.

The stunned scorer called out " ONE NUN DEAD AND EIGHTY".

Shocking news hit racing yesterday when it was announced that Haydock was abandoned due to the death of one of the stalls handlers.Apparently Stephen Yarborough was run over by the stalls and killed.

These stalls handlers are tough guys and unbelievably good at their job.. they deal with difficult horses who kick and rear all day and just get the job done without any fuss.… but this accident is simply awful. Thoughts for Stephens family and friends..

Plus 11 and dry when driving in. It was certainly not dry over night, 23mm of rain landed on us.

Luckily we have natural light in the yard as we have no electricity. Sometime last night it went out so the hostel and the yard are without electricity.

Things you take for normal like an early morning cuppa and the horse walker being used were not available this morning..

David Bass and Tom Bellamy were in this morning. .We worked Sunblazer and Red Spinner.

David biked to the yard… off the road for 3 months.... better than six..

David went to the circus last night.. Looking to add another string to his bow?

Paul and Elizabeth Kellar were here second lot to see Elizabeth’s horse Mon Palois.

Chris and Emily Hill were here third lot to see their KBRP horse Vinndication

Andy and Sandy Page were  here also third lot to see their KBRP horses Blazon and Kayf Storm and their Racing For Maggies horses Another Venture and Biscuit.

We don’t have any runners today but we do have one tomorrow at Stratford. Policy Breach and David Bass meet up there and for my thoughts on their chances please click here.

Understanding Engineers..

Two engineering students were biking across a university campus when one said, "Where did you get such a great bike?"

The second engineer replied, "Well, I was walking along yesterday, minding my own business, when a beautiful woman rode up on this bike, threw it to the ground, took off all her clothes and said, "Take what you want."

The first engineer nodded approvingly and said, "Good choice: The clothes probably wouldn't have fit you anyway."

Understanding Engineers...

To the optimist, the glass is half-full. To the pessimist, the glass is half-empty. To the engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

Have a great weekend. Golf, Racing, Womens Cricket...see you Monday..

Plus 14 and blustery when driving in.

You know its been a good night for some when text messages keep coming through from night spots (in Wolverhampton of all places) until early in the morning and by that I mean until well after 6 am..

School holidays start with a vengeance today so obviously the two owners who are ‘SW Racing’ have been out celebrating early. Perhaps their horse should be renamed Robin The Raving.. or better still buy a new one so they can name it that?

Scary fact that there will be 8800 take off and landings on our airports over the next 24 hours which is a record.. The skies will be full, as are the roads. Not a day for travelling.

I wont be as I have Patrick Bailey, Mikey Elliot, Mark and Liz Horne, Nick Wentworh-Stanley and Andrew Bengough are calling in late morning to see their horse Laval Noir.. Lunch after at The Wheatsheaf.. no desire to drive too far after?

The film Dunkirk opens at cinemas today and it is a film I shall definitely be going to see. They were tough times for the country and times when you fought for what you believed in, and did what was right.

Spitfire pilots leant that true side of the horror of fighting and what they leant at Dunkirk meant that they were able to save the day when it came to the Battle of Britain. . Those pilots were brave and never knew when talking off whether they would be coming home.. That happened several times a day.

You might think it odd that I should mention that but our jockeys are similar .. The fall of Ana O’Brien has prompted a brilliant article in yesterdays Irish Independent by Johnny Ward. Click here to read.

Talking jockeys it is Richard Johnson's 40th today, now that alone would have been something unique some years ago.. Times have changed and 40 is young. Happy Birthday Richard.. Our Champion jump jockey.

The Vicars's Ass.. as sent over by Janette Evans

A Vicar entered his donkey in a race and it won.

The Vicar was so pleased with the donkey that he entered it into another race, and it won again.

The local paper The Gloucester Echo read:VICAR'S ASS OUT FRONT.

The Bishop was so upset with this kind of publicity that he ordered the Vicar not to enter the donkey in another race..

The next day, the Gloucester Echo headline read: BISHOP SCRATCHES VICAR'S ASS.

This was too much for the Bishop, so he ordered the Vicar to get rid of the donkey..

The Vicar decided to give it to a Nun in a nearby Convent..

The Gloucester Echo, hearing of the news, posted the following headline the next day: NUN HAS BEST ASS IN TOWN.

The Bishop fainted!

He informed the Nun that she would have to get rid of the donkey, so she sold it to a farmer for £10.

The next day the papers read: NUN SELLS ASS FOR £10.

This was too much for the Bishop, so he ordered the nun to buy back the donkey and lead it to the Malvern hills where it could run wild.

The next day the headlines read: NUN ANNOUNCES HER ASS IS WILD AND FREE.

The Bishop was buried the next day.

The moral of the story is ...Being concerned about public opinion can bring you much grief and misery. It can even shorten your life....So be yourself and enjoy life to the fullest.

Stop worrying about everyone else's ass and you'll be a lot happier and live longer!

On that note...Kerry Bellamy is away on a course.. Not one involved with racing but one that would certainly brighten up my office..next week?

Plus 15 and raining when driving in. Much needed rain too.

Uttoxeter was busy for a mid week meeting. Forgotten Hero looked incredibly well before the race (Stevie Broadhurst deservedly won best turned out) ran well to finish second.

Yes I hate seconds but this race proved that FH is going the right way. He is far from an easy ride and it again showed why David Bass is such an asset to the yard as knowing how hard FH can pull he managed to settle him…sadly and annoyingly they found one too good when it came the important end of the race.

Although his owners Julie and David Martin  were not able to be there we were delighted with FH's run and now he qualifies for a handicap mark.. over 115?

A good journey home and Peter and Lavinia Sidgwick for supper.

Fenella Tillier was here third lot this morning. Fenella has shares in the KBRP horses Deseray and Kayf Storm..

Well the BBC have certainly opened a can of worms by telling the world how much they pay their top people. I was disappointed to see that Clare Balding earns as little as she does considering she fronts all the good sporting programmes on BBC television and don't forget her ramblings on Radio 4.. Anyway she earns slightly more than fellow rambler Teresa May.. Perhaps we would all benefit form a role reversal.

I put on here yesterday that we were looking for an experienced amateur jockey for this coming winter season and the replies have been good and some interesting CVs have been sent over.....

Dear Ms Bailey,

I have followed your extremely successful and dynamic training operation for many years. I am a young, very impressionable, slightly unreliable and rather cocky french amateur jockey.

I am based in the south of France at the infamous training centre of "Le Piss Le Take". It is very beautiful here. The bars are open all day, and we have Pastis for breakfast. Is that the same as "Pasties" that you have in your country ?

I am keen to learn more about English girls. I am not keen on getting up early, but I'm sure you won't hold that against me. I understand that you are "Mayor of Cheltenham, Northleach and Wheatsheaf." And have good local contacts for introducing me to fine restaurants and bars. And English girls.

Can I please come for trial period ? I don't expect to have rides in races every day as some days I have the hang over. I will ride at Cheltenham Festival please. And maybe in Grand National but only after long and liquid lunch.

I look forward to meeting you Ms Bailey (Kim is pretty English girl's name by the way).

A bientot,

Georges Boulanger

The above will be enjoyed by Alan Thomas who sent me an email yesterday complimenting me on my ring master abilities when it comes to employing riders/jockeys who wear jodhpurs.

By the time you read this the first players will have teed off in The Open.. raining there too.

George Mullins transport dropped a new horse to the yard early this morning.. The horsebox left Ireland last night went via N,T-D, here, N Mulholland and then it was picking up a polo team and taking them down to the South Of Spain near Gibraltar.. and then back to Ireland..

10 years ago today we had 80 mm of rain and the whole area was flooded..

To finish .. Happy birthday to Compton Hellyer.. owned 10% of Docklands Express..

Plus 17 and drizzling when driving in.

We missed any forecasted thunderstorms last night although we might have one this morning as it is very muggy.

It was certainly very hot (27) and muggy at Tattersalls Ascot Sales yesterday where we sold Nicely Indeed.

NI was there to dissolve a partnership with both owners wishing to sell; Richard Laws, who fronts Ownaracehorse Ltd and owned 50% of Nicely Indeed with Gary Tardi bought the horse back. NI will now probably go in training with either Tom Gretton or back to Seamus Durack.

David Bass was in this morning to ride out. David has been based this month in France based with Emmanuel Clayeux.

We worked Red Spinner and Policy Breach.

Peter and Olive Smith and Jim and Lynda Clark were here third lot. They have shares in the KBRP who own Deseray

We have one runner today at Uttoxeter. Forgotten Hero and David Bass meet up in the second race and for my thoughts on their chances please click here.

My farrier Andy Martin is being particularly stupid.. he is biking (that is the stupid part) for charity.. As if he has not enough to do he is now helping others by biking around Snowdonia to raise money for The Farriers Foundation..

If you would like to support Andy and his mates on this 3 day, 230 mile bike ride please click here and donate...

We are still looking for an amateur to replace Henry Morshead.

Henry as you know has moved onto Paul Nicholls so we have a vacancy for an experienced amateur who claims 7 of 5lbs. There will be plenty of opportunities for the right person.. They must have racecourse experience as so far those we have seen have not had enough experience.

I do have a good young lad in the yard in Liam Carter who has worked hard and has been prepared to learn, so we are going to take out an amateur license to start Liam off this season with rides, but we really need somebody else who has more experience to add to the team. If you believe you are that person then please get in touch.

I like to retire horses at the end of their racing career rather than sell them.. Obviously their owners need to agree but it is very rewarding when you hear that they have done well in their respective new careers whether it show jumping, eventing, dressage, showing or just ROR.. Yes there is life after racing and we should encourage rather than just turn a blind eye and pass on.

Sue Stanley sent this coffee advert over...

Plus 15 and dry when driving in.

Len and Ann Harvey were here third lot to see their KBRP horses Chateau Robin and Blazon. Ken Gray and David Crompton  was here to see the new KBRP horse Dusty Pearl. Peter Kerr who runs all my partnerships was here.

Graham Potts our vet was in the yard as usual this morning and this weeks movers and shakers in the weekly BHA handicap charts are..Sonneofpresenting up 2 to 127.

Todays news is all about the transfer window of jockeys attracting themselves to new trainers.

Jockey Daryl Jacob has joined up with trainer Ben Pauling while Jonathan Burke has done the same with Charlie Longsdon.

Richard Johnson has now started riding for Warren Greatrex which means he has added another sting to his bow after Philip Hobbs, Henry Daly and now Ollie Murphy..

One of the reasons why Ben has aligned himself to Daryl is because Nico de Boinville is busy with Nicky Henderson and David Bass is now riding as my first jockey.. I am sure it all makes sense..

I am attending Tattersalls Ascot Sales today. Not one of my regular sales venues but since Tattersalls have taken it over it has really improved and upped its bench mark. Anyway today we are selling lot 160 Nicely Indeed to dissolve a partnership. There are a total of 200 lots on sale.

Yesterdays cricket was a fiasco. England were hammered.. Joe Root has had the ups and down within one week of taking over the mantle as Captain.

Mark Stallard sent this one over..

Three Aussie blokes, Mongrel, Coot and Bluey are working up on an outback mobile phone tower.

As they start their descent, Coot slips, falls off the tower and is killed instantly.

As the ambulance takes the body away, Bluey says, 'Well, bugger me, someone's gotta go and tell Coot's wife.

Mongrel says, 'OK, I'm pretty good at that sensitive stuff, I'll do it.'

Two hours later, he comes back carrying a case of Beer.

Bluey says, 'Where'd you get the grog, Mongrel?'

'Coot's wife gave it to me,' Mongrel replies.

'That's unbelievable, you told the Missus her husband was dead and she gave you a case of beer?'

'Well, not exactly', Mongrel says. 'When she answered the door, I said to her, "you must be Coot's widow."

She said, 'You must be mistaken.. I'm not a widow.'

Then I said, 'I'll betcha a case of beer you are..'

Aussies are good at that sensitive stuff !!

To finish.. I have been asked who or what is.. TNDGB.....answer The Name Dropping George Baker..the trainer..

Plus 9 and dry when driving in.

Good to be back in the yard. Good to walk down to see that the new round sand gallop is progressing well and should be ready next week?

Horses look happy to be back, but as they don’t talk I just take the fact that they pricked their ears when they saw me was enough to suggest they were pleased..

We have new neighbours. Event rider Lucy Jackson and Harry Wallace have moved into the yard at Owdeswell in Andoversford.

Lucy is keen to start pre training horses and schooling horses alonside her eventing. She is going to be a great asset to us and today I have sent her, her first young horse to play with. Lucy will be schooling and doing ground work on this youngster .. Building his confidence before he returns here in a months time.

A weekend of records broken. Federer, Hamilton just to name but two. South Africa look like rubbing England’s noses in the dirt today and after a weekend of racing which looked like all the top flat racecourses wanted to race on the same day, it is welcome to the silly season.

Surely Super Saturday is crazy.. all those decent flat meetings on the same day and then following it up with three jump meetings on yesterday.. race planning at its very most ridiculous?

Being in Scotland last week I sadly missed most of Wimbledon . Having said that I failed to read or see that any member of the racing community made the call up to the Royal Box?

My 'old' mate TNDGB must have failed to pass on his new address to the powers at be.. Surely there must have been a mistake as he usually get everywhere..Hugely disappointing for George and of course his wife TUMCB… next year George?

Deirdre Tanner sent an email.. ‘’As avid National Hunt follower, I love your blog. As I now live in suburbia the photos also give me great delight. Islay too BUT you were in Scotland, not Ireland, and whisky in Scotland has no e. All the best for the coming season’’..Sorry about that Deidre.. of course you are quite right to point it out..

One should not take the English language for granted.

Paddy took 2 stuffed dogs to Antiques Roadshow.

”Ooh”, said the presenter. “This is a very rare set produced by the celebrated Johns Brothers taxidermists who operated in London at the turn of last century. Do you have any idea what they would fetch if they were in good condition?”

“Sticks”, said Paddy..

Good to have a long chat with Harry Bailey yesterday.. He is enjoying Sydney and working for Gai Waterhouse