George Alexander Baird
George Alexander Baird (30 September 1861 – 18 March 1893) was a wealthy British race horse owner, breeder and the most successful amateur jockey (gentleman rider) of his day, who rode under the assumed name of Mr Abington.
He was a controversial figure, at times in conflict with the establishment, "warned off" for his aggressive riding behaviour, implicated in a prize fight fixing scandal.
[2] Baird died at age thirty-three of pneumonia in a hotel room in New Orleans, Louisiana, after traveling there for prize fights with men he sponsored.
Growing up with older parents and no siblings for company, his fondness for horses and riding out, plus "amusement in the groom's room," provided escape and distraction for the young boy.
[8] In his book Turf Memories of Sixty Years, Alexander Scott writes that he met the teenage Baird and subsequently followed the career of "this great horseman".
[13] Because his trustees disapproved of his association with horse racing, young Baird used an alias when riding, and chose "Mr Abington".
During his early days on the track, he became known for aggressive riding; he was warned by stewards and eventually, following an incident with another gentleman rider (Lord Harrington) at Four Oaks, Birmingham in 1882, he was banned for two years.
He had changed his colours to bottle-green jacket and red cap, and started to put together a string of quality horses with the advice of jockey and trainer Tom Cannon.
[17] By the time Baird returned after the ban, he had inherited his family fortune and started to buy race horses; Tom Cannon – great-grandfather of Lester Piggott – acted as his adviser.
They attended a dispersal sale for Lord Falmouth's stables, buying some quality horses, including a three-year-old filly called Busybody.
Busybody produced a foal called Meddler that was sold to America after Baird's death; he became a very successful and influential stallion at stud.
[18] Baird continued to buy horses (often selling platers), leased Bedford Lodge stables in Newmarket, Suffolk, from Captain James Machell, and employed Martin Gurry as his trainer.
He also used Tom and William Stevens in Berkshire, Bob Armstrong of Penrith, James Prince at Lewes and others, once remarking that he was not sure how many horses he owned.
Baird and Gurry made up their differences, and the horses were returned to Bedford Lodge in time for Merry Hampton to run in The Derby, which he duly won (1887).
All expected Baird to lead Merry Hampton into the winners' enclosure after the race, as was normal for the winning owner of the Derby.
It was said that Baird was most interested in riding winners himself, but this was not always possible due to restrictions on some meetings, where amateur riders could not compete, or his weight precluded him.
[23][24] Baird also was involved with former actress Dolly Tester, the wife of his friend Lord Ailesbury, and was named in their divorce proceedings as a co-respondent.
A relationship developed, and Baird made many gifts to Langtry, including money, race horses, and a 200-ft luxury yacht (White Ladye).
"[33] Baird acquired his London house at 36 Curzon Street during an evening of dining and drinking with its then owner Sir George Chetwynd, another man of the turf.
He set up his own boxing room at Bedford Lodge and invited prize fighters of the day, such as Charlie Mitchell and Jem Smith.
[36] This coincided with some heavy betting that had been laid on this result, and the committee of the Pelican Club put the blame squarely on Baird's shoulders.
