Fresh start for trainer George Baker and historic stable Downs House could help bring back Epsom glory days

THERE person been plentifulness of mendacious dawns successful Epsom implicit the past 30 oregon truthful years.

Remember erstwhile Laura Mongan saddled Harbour Law to triumph the St Leger successful 2016? The archetypal Epsom-trained Classic victor since 1969.

While my idiosyncratic fortunes took a deed that time (I needed the blistery favourite Idaho to triumph to onshore a monolithic multi, lone for Seamie Heffernan to autumn disconnected astatine the apical of the straight), galore thought it was a motion the town’s fortunes arsenic a grooming hub were starting to change.

Surely, the bully times would instrumentality to Epsom and it’s hardy grooming assemblage with the unthinkable boost of a Classic victor down them? Nope.

In fact, mediocre aged Harbour Law lone ran doubly much aft his Doncaster heroics and ne'er won different race. I deliberation he’s lasting arsenic a jumps stallion determination covering mares for the terms of a pint of bitter and packet of crisps.

Around 50 years ago, determination were implicit 600 horses trained successful Epsom by a wide assortment of trainers. You tin spot wherefore — the spot is close connected the doorstep of London and surrounded by leafy, costly suburbs rife with high-rollers from the City.

Even arsenic precocious arsenic the 1990’s, erstwhile large names similar Geoff Lewis and John Sutcliffe Jr were inactive grooming there, the spot was successful beauteous bully shape.

After the war, Winston Churchill had respective runners trained there, and erstwhile the likes of Khalid Abdullah and Sheikh Hamdan had their archetypal runners successful the UK they were trained successful Epsom.

But erstwhile the aged guard, led by Classic victor Sutcliffe Jr, retired, the spot fell into a accelerated diminution and owners deserted the municipality successful their droves.

There are hardly 200 horses successful the full spot and respective of the historical yards successful the country person either fallen into a authorities of disrepair oregon sold to developers.

It’s a bittersweet authorities of affairs - determination is inactive thing romanticist astir the Downs. There is past everyplace you look.

But, susurration it, bash brighter days prevarication ahead?

The municipality got an almighty boost past twelvemonth erstwhile Live In The Dream caused a 28-1 daze successful the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes for Adam West.

I’d spell arsenic acold to accidental it was 1 of the champion Flat racing stories we’ve had for the champion portion of a decade, astir apt since Mongan and Harbour Law struck astatine Donny.

The prize-money from the Nunthorpe has lone truly helped West support his caput supra water, but helium is simply a precise talented trainer and helium volition bash the occupation if fixed the ammo.

Likewise Jim Boyle, who past twelvemonth ended a ridiculous 19 YEAR conflict with the assembly to get readying support to renovate his South Hatch gait which was, rather literally, falling to bits.

He present trains retired of a marque spanking caller gait and is hoping to turn his drawstring of horses, some numerically and successful quality.

And past determination is the jewel successful the Epsom crown, the historical Downs House, erstwhile the location of legendary racehorse Eclipse successful the mid 1700’s which has been rebuilt from the crushed up.

The spot was near to rack and ruin aft trainer Philip Mitchell retired, but Kiwi businessman Mark Travers has bought the spot and spent millions creating a authorities of the creation stable.

I went to person a look astir earlier this week and, portion it is inactive a literal gathering site, the spot looks incredible.

George Baker volition determination successful connected New Year’s Day adjacent twelvemonth with a drawstring of 50 horses, expanding the equine colonisation of Epsom by 20% successful 1 swoop.

The erstwhile journo and banker-turned trainer is hell-bent connected helping to bring backmost the glory days to Epsom, which has the facilities successful spot to rival thing successful Newmarket.

The Jockey Club support the gallops, but immoderate trainers consciousness they aren’t fixed anyplace adjacent arsenic overmuch enactment arsenic their counterparts up successful affluent Newmarket.

There is truthful overmuch untapped imaginable among the grooming fraternity successful Epsom, they conscionable request a just shot. Hopefully present they commencement to get it.

The regeneration of Downs House is an encouraging measurement and if the owners commencement to return, the full grooming centre volition consciousness the benefit.

And that volition beryllium a bloody bully happening for the game.

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