Terry Baldwin
Article by Chris Pitt
Terry Baldwin served his apprenticeship with Bill Hide and Doug Marks and went on to rode 34 winners under National Hunt rules.
Christened Terence Michael James Baldwin, his first winner was achieved in slightly unusual circumstances. Wincanton on an Easter Monday is not an obvious destination for a trainer based in Yorkshire, especially when the selected race is a seller worth £181 to the winner, but that’s what Herbert Megginson did, despatching his modest performer Amidol from his Thirsk stables on the long journey south-west to Wincanton on April 3, 1961, for the Abloom Selling Handicap Hurdle. If the intention was to land a gamble, undetected from the public’s gaze, hidden among the day’s 16 meetings – and still a month away from betting shops being legalised – then why engage a jockey who’d never ridden a winner?
The form book does not relate the level to which Amidol was or was not backed that day, but he duly rewarded his supporters at odds of 7/1, giving young Terry Baldwin his first winner in the process. But they were lucky, for Amidol passed the post in second place, two lengths behind the winner, Doxford, who was then disqualified for crossing and placed second. Gamble landed – perhaps. There was no bid for the winner at the subsequent auction.
Terry rode two more winners that season, both on Smogland for Doug Marks, firstly in the Charles Vicary Memorial Hurdle Challenge Cup at Newton Abbot on May 13, then at Fontwell Park nine days later.
Terry enjoyed his best season in 1962/63, riding 11 winners, including three more on Smogland, two on Jim Wibberley’s handicap hurdler Hindu Legend, three on Arthur Neaves’ hurdler Do or Die and one on Neaves’ Certain Justice at Wye. Certain Justice was a Fontwell specialist, winning a dozen races around that figure-of-eight Sussex circuit.
Terry won twice on Certain Justice during the following season, firstly at Windsor on December 12, 1963, when beating the Queen Mother’s Gay Record – initiating a double, completed by Arthur Neaves’ March Elect in the last race – and in the more familiar surroundings of Fontwell Park on February 12, 1964.
Terry’s five winners in 1964/65 included three trained by Jack Holt, beginning with the grey chaser Coup de Vent III at Southwell in September, then twice on hurdler Silver Moss at Fontwell and Plumpton in February. Holt also trained Clever Cobbler, who provide Terry with all three of his victories for 1965/66 in early season selling hurdles at Newton Abbot, Ludlow and Fontwell.
The best horse Terry rode during the latter stages of his career was Date, trained by Mick Goswell at Lewes. Terry won two novice hurdles on him in the 1967/68 season, including one at Ascot.
The following season, Date won at Fontwell Park on the last day of March, despite crashing through the final hurdle, beating Josh Gifford’s mount Sherwood Forest. Date also became Terry’s final winner when winning the Meyrick Good Handicap Hurdle at Fontwell on Whit Monday, May 26, 1969. He relinquished his licence the next season.
