Madame Pommery set to contest G1 Epsom Handicap

Sophie Baker isn’t a household name in racing, but she is a vital cog in trainer Chris Waller’s team.

She is also an influential part of the story behind Saturday’s Epsom Handicap hopeful Madame Pommery.

Involved with the stable for the past decade, Baker has a hands-on background with horses, but as Waller’s business has grown, so has her role.

From being the champion trainer’s personal assistant to social media manager to a conduit for the mainstream media to looking after owners on race day, Baker is the team’s Girl Friday.

When the chance came to take on another challenge by putting together a group of stable clients in a ladies’ only syndicate and managing it, Baker didn’t hesitate.

“Magic Millions has the huge incentive each year for horses owned exclusively by women, and they’re big on promoting women in racing,” Baker said.

“So we thought, why not get a group of women and put a ladies syndicate together? Stephanie Waller, Chris’ wife, she was keen to be involved, so we went ahead and did it.

“I love it and being involved with the ladies’ horses has given me a new passion.

“We have a couple of ladies’ lunches during the year and the women are all amazing people.”

Once the idea was born, Baker’s next step was to find their first horse.

Together with Waller, racing manager Charlie Duckworth and bloodstock agent Guy Mulcaster, the man who picked out Winx, a chestnut filly by No Nay Never was secured at the 2021 Magic Millions Yearling Sale.

“Guy Mulcaster is our bloodstock agent and probably the best around, and we’ve got the best trainer around so you can’t really go wrong,” Baker said.

With a horse in hand, Baker then needed a name and she also wanted to give the group a unique identity.

She settled on a champagne theme because “who doesn’t like champagne?”, extending the notion to their racing silks which feature champagne flutes, while the purple and white is a nod to Waller’s stable colours.

“And then she’s got the champagne name, (Madame) Pommery,” Baker said.

It was all fun and games – and then came race day.

In her role with Waller, Baker is at the track most Saturdays, riding the rollercoaster of emotions with the stable’s owners.

That was elevated to another level again when the horse racing was Madame Pommery.

While she doesn’t have a share in the mare, Baker does feel an extra sense of responsibility and connection, not only to the ownership group that backed her, but to the horse.

“I didn’t feel pressure until she got to the races and then I just wanted her to run well, just for the women because they’ve supported me to own this horse,” Baker said.

“And also for the horse. She’s pretty special, everyone loves her in the stable, so you also want her to run well for her.”

Baker need not have worried.

While Madame Pommery didn’t place at her first run, she won her second and at start number seven captured the Group 1 Thousand Guineas.

On Saturday, she tackles the Epsom Handicap, one of Randwick’s famed ‘big miles’ and a race steeped in history and prestige.

It will be a momentous afternoon for her owners and if Madame Pommery happens to win, there will be no debate over the celebratory drink of choice.

“It is such a huge thrill for the ownership group to have a runner in a time-honoured event like the Epsom,” Baker said.

“This horse has already exceeded all expectations and it really is a dream come true.

“Hopefully there will be plenty of Pommery being drunk on Saturday evening.”