Wiltshire trainer George
Baker pulled off his first Royal Ascot winner when Belgian Bill landed the
Royal Hunt Cup. Jockey James Doyle, who had won his first Royal meeting race 35
minutes earlier on Al Kazeem, was successful again, completing a 126.5/1
double.
Seven years ago Baker was
in the winner's enclosure following the same race while working as a reporter
for the defunct Sportsman newspaper, but his training career is proving rather
more durable. He is now based at Manton, which is also home to his training
colleague Brian Meehan.
Baker said of Belgian
Bill: "He's been a fantastic old handicapper and has taken us to all the
right places. You dream of winning a big one, and while it's a cliche that is
often said of these horses, he deserved to win one.
"He's been around the
world for us and a great standard bearer for the yard. I've only been training
for four and a half to five years and to have a horse like this is what you
dream of.
"I was nervous when
they split into two [Belgian Bill raced with a small group on the far side],
but at halfway the side-on shot showed we were just ahead and still travelling.
This horse just loves getting into a bit of trouble in running and when he was stopped
a couple of times that would have suited him. A race like that for old horses
is a bit of fun and they seem to thrive on it.
"Being dropped in the
handicap [to a mark of 97] has clearly helped and at a competitive level he had
a big one in him. Where do we go now? I don't care!
"This is a career
highlight - the move to Manton has taken us to the next level and you want
horses on the bigger stages. To do this at a place like this is beyond your
wildest, but it hasn't sunk in yet."
Baker then reflected on
his journalism career, saying: "I was in this spot six or seven years ago
- but who won this race on that occasion? I can't remember, but I'm sure I
wrote a brilliant article about it!"
Doyle said: "He was
well-fancied for this race last year - he was nearly favourite - and he has
dropped down the weights a lot. He ran some good races out in Dubai and I
thought if he reproduced that form, we would have a chance of getting in the
frame.
"The race worked out
perfectly. I was able to keep him interested the whole way through, putting him
in little gaps and helping him travel. He quickened up well and I was a little
bit unlucky because I got stopped a little bit but I think he probably enjoyed
it.
"I was happy with my
draw. I know that the bulk of the field merged over towards the stands' rail
but I was happy where I
was."
PREMIO
AMAZES WALL
Chris Wall, trainer of the
fine old war horse Premio Loco, who battled to a three-quarters of a length
second in the Royal Hunt Cup said of his nine-year-old stable star: "He's
run a blinder. After he had run a couple of duff races in the spring and the handicapper
had let him down, the plan had always been to bring him here.
"I just wanted to run
him at Haydock the other day over seven to sharpen him up - he'd got a little
bit lazy at home- that did the trick and we were happy with him in the interim
and he's come here and run a blinder giving weight away.
"He is the best horse
in the race although we haven't won, but I can't fault the effort. George
(Baker, jockey) has given him a great ride.
"Premier Loco never
ceases to amaze me even at the age of nine. We will go away and see what we do
next. He is carrying a bit of condition at the moment and the plan had always
been to run him throughout the summer as long as we keep his ground so I think
a race like the Summer Mile back here in July might be a possibility - he's won
it before - but we will see what other options he got as well.
"He probably doesn't
quite pick up like he used to - but I don't suppose I do either! He keep going.
George said he really wanted it and when he gets in a fight he is really tough.
He was very determined today.
"We have had a good
day out. I could just do with finding a few more like him."
George Baker, who is
Premio Loco's regular jockey, added: "I was very pleased with him we
knew we had a massive task - he was nearly top weight - and he is nine. All
credit to Chris (Wall, Trainer) he is not particularly easy to keep going
forward and he has done a wonderful job with him.
"He doesn't pick up
as well as he used to but he is nine so he is going to be a bit more laboured.
"As long as he is
able to maintain a high standard of form I think they (the owners) will keep
going with him. If not they will think about retirement but at the moment that
was a very competitive run in a heritage handicap at Royal Ascot."
4.25pm
Royal Hunt Cup (Heritage Handicap)
£150,000
total prize fund. For 3yo+, 1m (str). Weights: highest weight not less than 9st
10lb (Any horse rated above 110 (or 120 if such a horse is 3yo) shall initially
be treated as having that rating and the highest weight allotted shall be 9st
10lb. Subsequently, theexcess over 110 (or 120 if such a horse is 3yo) in any
rating shall be added to the weight allotted to that horse without limitation
to the highest weight to be carried). Minimum weight: 8-00. Penalties: after
May 25th, a winner 5lb; a winner of 2 races 7lb. Penalty value 1st £93,375.00
2nd £27,960.00 3rd £13,980.00 4th £6,990.00 5th £3,495.00 6th £1,755.00.
1)
BELGIAN BILL (PJL, Cooper & Baker) George Baker pt5-8-11 James Doyle [6]
33/1
2) PREMIO
LOCO (USA) (Bernard Westley) Chris Wall 9-9-09 George Baker [2] 40/1
3)
ARSAADI (IRE) (Sultan Ali) William Haggas b4-8-12 Liam Jones [10] 50/1
4) DON'T
CALL ME (IRE) (Matt & Lauren Morgan) David Nicholls t6-9-05 Pat Dobbs [7]
25/1
5) DAVID
LIVINGSTON (IRE) (Dr Cyrus Poonawalla) Mike De Kock SAF 4-9-02 Pat Cosgrave
[12]
6) FIELD
OF DREAM (Ken Gundlach) Jamie Osborne b6-8-12 Adam Kirby [19]
7) TRADE
COMMISSIONER (IRE) (Lady Rothschild) John Gosden 5-9-04 William Buick [4]
8)
BURKE'S ROCK (S E Consruction (Kent) Ltd) Jeremy Noseda p4-8-11 Frankie Dettori
[21]
9)
EXCELLENT GUEST (John Guest Racing) George Margarson 6-8-12 Tom Queally [1]
10)
WINTER'S NIGHT (IRE) (J Thomas) Clive Cox 5-8-06 Ryan Tate (5) [9]
11) ES
QUE LOVE (IRE) (Crone Stud Farms Ltd) Mark Johnston 4-8-12 Graham Lee [17]
12) TWO
FOR TWO (IRE) (High Hopes Partnership) David O'Meara 5-9-00 Daniel Tudhope [27]
10/1 CFav
13) PRINCE
OF JOHANNE (IRE) (David Storey) Tom Tate p7-9-00 John Fahy [8]
14)
SANTEFISIO (Weldspec Glasgow Limited) Keith Dalgleish b7-9-00 Jimmy Fortune
[20]
15)
EDUCATE (Sultan Ali) Ismail Mohammed 4-8-12 Jamie Spencer [13]
16)
DIRECTORSHIP (Mrs R Lyon, Mrs P Hayton, Patrick Chamings) Patrick Chamings
7-8-13 Dane O'Neill [26]
17)
SANDAGIYR (FR) (Godolphin) Saeed bin Suroor 5-9-03 Silvestre De Sousa [32]
18) FURY
(Cheveley Park Stud) William Haggas bh5-9-00 Joseph O'Brien [22] 10/1 CFav
19) MORAN
GRA (USA) (D Breen, Michael Ryan) Joanna Morgan IRE p6-8-10 Pat Smullen [33]
20) SWEET
LIGHTNING (Andrew Tinkler) Johnny Murtagh IRE t8-9-03 Luke Dempsey (7) [29]
21)
CAPTAIN BERTIE (IRE) (A Morton) Charlie Hills 5-8-10 James McDonald [23]
22)
STIRRING BALLAD (George Strawbridge) Andrew Balding 4-8-11 Richard Hughes [3]
10/1 CFav
23) SPA'S
DANCER (IRE) (The Macdougall Two) James Eustace 6-8-11 Ryan Moore [30]
24) TOTO
SKYLLACHY (Richard Walker) David O'Meara 8-8-06 Thomas Brown (5) [14]
25)
REDACT (IRE) (Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds) Richard Hannon 4-8-11 Jim Crowley
[24]
26)
BURWAAZ (Hamdan Al Maktoum) Ed Dunlop p4-9-00 Paul Hanagan [16]
27)
NAVAJO CHIEF (Geoffrey Bishop) Alan Jarvis 6-9-04 Kieren Fallon [28]
28)
ELUSIVE TIME (IRE) (Elusive Time Syndicate) Takashi Kodama IRE 5-9-06 Masami
Matsuoka [18]
28
ran
Non-runners:
Global Village (Going), Fire Ship (Going)
Time: 1m
38.68s
Distances:
¾, ½, ½, sh, sh, hd, ½, ½, ½, ½, ¾, sh, nk, hd, sh, ½, 1¼, nse, 1, nk, sh, ½,
4½, 6, 3¼, 5, nse
Breeder:
Wickfield Stud & Hartshill Stud Breeding: Exceed And Excel (AUS)
(6.6f) - Gay Romance (Singspiel (IRE)
Tote
Win £43.90
Place £9.00 £14.50 £17.60
£5.90 Exacta
£6082.30
Winning
Trainer:-Name: Baker, George Based: Barton Yard, Manton Estate,
Marlborough, Wiltshire Background: Studied at Edinburgh University
before working in the City, notably for Baring Bank at the same time as Nick
Leeson, before turning his back on the square mile and spending three years
living in Vietnam. Returned to England and bought a house at the bottom of Paul
Webber's drive. Spent five years as Webber's assistant before joining The
Sportsman writing features and working as their Lambourn correspondent.
Returned to Webber after the paper failed and set up on his own at the start of
2008. Royal Ascot Wins (1): Royal Hunt Cup (2013 Belgian Bill) Other
notable wins: Scarbrough Stakes (2011 Humidor) First Winner (Jumps): Friendly
King, Wood Farm Stud Intermediate Open National Hunt Flat Race, Exeter, April
15, 2008 First Winner (Flat): Music Box Express, Visit Pontin's For
Great Short Breaks Handicap, Wolverhampton, March 28, 2008 Flat Wins
(2008-2012): 15; 26; 40; 49; 32 Wins in 2013: 9
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