1908 - 1990
George Baines was born on January 18, 1908. He rode 141 winners during his career.
George was apprenticed to Felix Leach Jnr at Newmarket and had his first ride at Lincoln on November 10, 1925 when finishing second on Mulberry Walk in the Elsham Maiden Apprentice Stakes, beaten half a length by Bridal-Chamber, the mount of Stanley Barnes, who was achieving the only win of his career.
George had to wait until the corresponding Lincoln meeting a year later for his first winner. That came when Buoyant took the Great Tom Plate on November 8, 1926 by a head from Her Excellency, ridden by Johnny Dines.
He was joint champion apprentice with Leslie Cordell in 1928 with 33 wins apiece. They included his most important victory, Royal Pom in the 1928 Yorkshire Cup. That year also produced the only treble of his career, at Newcastle on June 28, 1928.
He rode in two Classic races, finishing 10th on Willsboro in the 1929 Oaks and 12th on Parthenon in the 1930 2,000 Guineas.
It was, though, a relatively brief career, for he rode his last winner on Millibet, trained by Jack Leach, in the Glasgow Two-Year-Old Plate at Hamilton Park on July 15, 1932.
His last ride was on Grizel, who finished sixth of nine runners in the Sudbury Two-Year-Old Plate at Derby on April 7, 1933. Although he received a licence for the 1934 season, he does not appear to have had any rides.
George Baines died in Cheshire on August 2, 1990, aged 82.
