The son of a steelworker, Geoff Baxter was born at Wordsley, Kingswinford, Staffordshire, on September 18, 1946. He spent 6 months as an apprentice glass cutter before joining Arthur Budgett's stable on July 18, 1962.
There he served five-year apprenticeship then, two years later, with Ifor Lewis. Eventually, he settled at Bruce Hobbs' stable in the mid-seventies.
He rode his first winner on Jules, an 11-year-old, at Wolverhampton on October 15, 1963.
Whilst never a spectacular rider, he still kicked home on average some fifty winners per season. His best season came in 1975 when he rode 65 winners.
The best horse he ever rode was probably Le Moss on which, in 1978, he won the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot.
Other big races which came his way included two Magnet Gold Cups aboard
Prominent, two Vaux Gold Tankards on Petty Officer and, riding Calibina, the 1977 Wokingham Stakes and the Stewards' Cup.
He was forced to retire after breaking his pelvis on the gallops in April 1993.
Baxter's hobbies included breeding caged birds and gardening.
When he quit riding in 1990, he became a landscape gardener, running a business based in Newmarket.
Baxter was a hard man; once, after an altercation at Newmarket, he caught Lester Piggott with a right hook, knocking the champion jockey out.
Geoff suffered a life-threatening fall when tumbling from Nero's Rule at Warwick in 1965. He was put on the danger list with head and internal injuries.
Although he was race-riding before the end of the season, the accident had left him feeling completely numb: he decided that a change of scenery would help and he left Arthur Budgett to work for Ifor Lewis.
The change did the trick; his flame rekindled, he returned to Budgett to complete the last two years of his apprenticeship.
Baxter versus Piggott was not the first time jockeys have fought after a race.
Stevie Donohoe faced a disciplinary inquiry after allegedly punching apprentice Andrew Heffernan in the face at Redcar.
Sophie Doyle and Kirsty Milczarek fought in the changing room after a dispute at Southwell.
Dougie Costello and Denis O'Regan squared up at Cartmel and jockey Kevin Shea acted as peacemaker when Willie Supple and Christophe Soumillion nearly came to blows at Meydan.
Shane Kelly and Neil Callan were both fined £25 after scuffling at Lingfield.
Biggest wins:
1971: Magnet Cup – Prominent
1972: Magnet Cup – Prominent
1972: Vaux Gold Tankard – Petty Officer
1973: Vaux Gold Tankard – Petty Officer
1974: Palace House Stakes – Singing Bede
1974: Magnet Cup – Take A Reef
1974: Richmond Stakes – Lone Eagle
1974: King George V Stakes – Singing Bede
1974: Cumberland Lodge Stakes – Shebeen
1974: Princess Royal Stakes – Shebeen
1975: Victoria Cup – Rhodomantade
1975: Jockey Club Stakes – Shebeen
1975: Princess Royal Stakes – Shebeen
1976: Great St Wilfrid Handicap – Honeyblest
1976: Diadem Stakes – Honeyblest
1977: Stewards Cup – Calibina
1977: Wokingham Stakes – Calibina
1977: Jockey Club Cup – Grey Baron
1978: Fred Darling Stakes – Shapina
1978: Queen’s Vase – Le Moss
1979: Hungerford Stakes – Skyliner
1980: Wokingham Stakes – Queen’s Pride
1980: Nassau Stakes – Vielle
1980: Lincoln Handicap – King’s Ride
1981: Cheshire Oaks – Hunston
1981: Futurity Stakes – Court Pahlen
1983: Nassau Stakes – Acclimatise
1984: John Porter Stakes – Gay Lemur
1984: Jockey Club Stakes – Gay Lemur
1984: Dewhurst Stakes – Kala Dancer
1984: Chester Cup – Contester
