21 September 2009 Scene & Heard: Gerald & Caroline Bailey's Open Day
by Carolyn Tanner
DICKIE BARRETT: aboard Gerald Bailey's Pennytino
photo: Jon Hodd
Successful Midlands rider Dickie Barrett has taken on a new full-time role, as he has recently been appointed assistant to trainer Caroline Bailey. "When she rang and asked me to go and see her, I thought it was to sort out which days I was going there to ride out," admitted Dickie, who had no hesitation in accepting the offer.
Dickie has now recovered from the shoulder injury which kept him out of the saddle for much of last season, and will continue to ride the Pointers trained by Caroline's husband Gerald.
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Richard Hunnisett, who contemplated retirement after reaching his half-century of winners, has decided to ride on, and has four to campaign from Gerald's yard. His grand servant Denvale will be out again, and Harapour returns after a season off. New to Richard's ownership are two former winners under Rules. Present Glory won twice over fences earlier this year for David Arbuthnot, and The King Of Angels has come from Jonjo O'Neill.
Richard, an epicurean of the first order, is under strict instruction from Gerald to start dieting immediately, but Dickie has a different slant on things. "I hope he keeps enjoying his summer until January," grinned the stable jockey, who would be only too happy to deputise on the quartet should Richard be nowhere near making the weight!
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Due to make his debut this season is a five-year-old by Winged Love, owned by Cyndy Aldridge and Rob Juleff. Given his dam is called Crystal Chord, Cyndy, a Status Quo groupie, didn't have to think too hard to come up with a name which is synonymous with the band, Three Chords.
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Johnny Bailey, Gerald's son, was another in the wars by the end of last season, having broken his leg in a pile-up at Ashorne, but is hoping to get the all-clear next month. At the beginning of this month Johnny started as a pupil-assistant with Paul Webber.
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The Midlands Area Dinner-Dance, which is being held on September 26, will be missing one of its regular attenders this time. Alex Vaughan-Jones is eschewing the party in favour of a trip to the Munich Beer Festival with some of his work colleagues. "I'm going for three days," he said, "but I have a feeling even that might be one day too many!"
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One absentee from the yard this season will be My Best Buddy. Formerly owned by Cyndy Aldridge and Rob Juleff, Buddy has gone to Dave and Chris Docker as a schoolmaster for their daughter Lucy, who has spent some time at the Paul Nicholls yard for experience and intends to make her debut between the flags this coming season.
