Amy Baxter was determined from a young age to be in harness racing, and in 2008 at just 12-years-old, she and her sister convinced their parents to purchase a property on the Byford complex so they could fulfil their dream of owning horses.
With neighbours Don and Wilma Wegner involved in the trots, it wasn’t long before Baxter found herself hooked on the industry and it was only fitting that her first riding horse was none other than a standardbred by the name of Pavarotti who was given to her by Jetta Ellis.
Amy Baxter had a short stint as a driver but on May 26, 2017, she decided to retire her white driving pants indefinitely, stating that it just wasn’t her calling.
Coincidentally, her final race drive was on board Liberte, who is the dam of Strelitzia Miss who is racing this Friday night at Gloucester Park in the $35,000 2YO Fillies Gold Bracelet listed classic, starting from barrier five.
Improving with every run, the two-year-old daughter of Poster Boy has had four starts now, finishing in third placing last start at Bunbury on March 7 and just 16 starters into her training career, it could be a fairytale result if the WA bred filly delivers Baxter her first training win.
“I’ve got Yankee Lincoln up first (race 4, barrier 1) and he went really good at Bunbury, he was driven upside down.”
“He’s only got one sprint and that was used down the back.”
“I think if he can be driven appropriately this week, he has a good chance of being up there.”
“And the filly, she’s been going good, she’s been improving every week, every run I just feel like she gains a little but more knowledge and understanding of the racing.”
“Early on she was just a bit unsure of everything, so green, she just gets better and better with every race, I hope that she’s up there, I’d like her to be up there, but I suppose we will just look for a little gap and hope she can take it.”
Working for Peter Tilbrook, Baxter took the leap around three-years-ago and started breaking and prepping horses on her own, a craft she is very passionate about.
“I’ve always been involved in the younger side of things, because Donny Wegner bred a few and working for Peter Tilbrook as well early on, he was obviously taking on breakers.”
“I think I’ve always wanted to do it, and I just finally got the courage to do it.”
“I just love it, I think it’s just so interesting to see when they first get to you, and you’re like look at this baby who doesn’t even know how to walk half the time, but by the time they’ve done first and second prep, they’re out there fast working and you see them a year later racing and you think ‘look at them go, they’re so professional.”
Gaining her trainers licence in late 2024, Baxter had her first starter, Sporting Grace, on Tuesday, January 21 and currently has four racehorses in work.
Yankee Lincoln starts from barrier one in race four at Gloucester Park on Friday night, with Strelitzia Miss contesting the $35,000 fillies feature from barrier five in race seven, in a seven-horse field.
Ashleigh Paikos
Image: Pacepix