Barry Baldwin has joined many in the Queensland racing industry in paying tribute to late trainer Jim Atkins.
The Toowoomba legend
died on August 7, aged 94, after more than seven decades as a trainer.
Baldwin said Atkins had a major influence on his career,
convincing him to leave Roma and head for Toowoomba.
"I'd sent a few horses to him which I thought could win at bigger places
than Roma and he managed to get some to city wins," Baldwin said.
"He told me: 'why don't you leave Roma and get to Toowoomba'.
Jim thought I could perform well there."
Baldwin recalls his many chats with Atkins in the Toowoomba pre-dawn as the pair worked
their horses. As Atkins had done many years before, Baldwin would eventually leave Toowoomba to train in Brisbane.
"There was
so much to learn from him. I remember one of the things he always said: horses are good for only about eight to 10 starts each preparation.
If you draw a bad barrier or race on an unsuitable track, then you're really wasting one of those runs. That's something that's always
stuck with me.
"His loss is a big blow to the industry but we were privileged to have him training so well for so many years."
Tributes flow for the masterful J.J.
Burdekin begins long road back to summer features
The Commands filly gave away weight to the males but she was too strong in the heavy conditions and drew away
in the home straight, pictured right.
Trainer Barry Baldwin said Demanding Miss would join stablemates Shamillion and Paris Blu in
the paddock as the trio prepared for the Magic Millions 3YO race next January.
"Demanding Miss has had a good two-year-old season
and she really showed how much she likes those wet tracks," Baldwin said.
"She's an excellent traveller so we'll bring her back home and give her some time to get over a long campaign."
Baldwin
said Demanding Miss, Shamillion and Paris Blu had combined for almost $500,000 in prizemoney, ensuring the trio would qualify for
the Magic Millions race.
Demanding Miss joins stablemates spelling ahead of Millions
Burdekin Blues has rejoined the Baldwin stable in a long path back to the defence of his summer racing titles.
Almost six months
after his last race start, Burdekin Blues is back in light work after recovering from knee surgery.
The top sprinter was injured
during a southern mission after he again dominated his summer targets in southeast Queensland.
The setback came after Burdekin
Blues enjoyed a superb 2009, winning black type races in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.
Baldwin is unsure whether
the son of Sequalo can defend one of those titles - the Listed sprint race he claimed in devastating fashion at Flemington last Oaks
Day.
But he is confident Burdekin Blues will be ready for the first leg of the Doomben triple crown in December and the Bat Out
of Hell sprint on the Gold Coast the following month.
"We're going to give him plenty of time to get ready - I don't expect he
will race until he has at least 12 weeks' work," Baldwin said.
"The vet has seen him and he's very happy with how he's come back
so now we'll take it easy with him and get him back to the track."
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