Bailie Baker to inspire next Indigenous generation

By Jordan Gerrans

As a Yidinji woman growing up in Far North Queensland, Bailie Baker would watch the big races on television and quickly noticed there weren't many female riders with the same skin colour she had.

Now making her way as an apprentice jockey on the Gold Coast, the 25-year-old is aiming to create a name for herself in the riding ranks to inspire the next generation of Indigenous jockeys.

Indigenous female jockeys such as Isabella Teh and the late Leigh-Anne Goodwin, among others, have come through the system in recent decades.

Teh has been a consistent rider on the provincial scene in Queensland in recent times while Goodwin became the first-ever First Nations female jockey to win a city race in Australia before her tragic death.

Baker has dreams of making it as a regular city rider who competes in the biggest races to showcase her talent and culture to the next generation.

“The biggest challenge I faced growing up would be there wasn’t many well-known names out there, especially female Indigenous jockeys,” Baker said when speaking to Racing Queensland for the Racing For Reconciliation series.

“There are no real big names out there that we can follow.

“I'd really like to aspire to be that, I hope so. Just help young Indigenous people come through, especially females, being such a male-dominated sport as racing can be at times. 

“It'd be a really, really cool thing to do. For young Indigenous people coming into racing, they should back themselves. It is hard, but it's extremely rewarding.”

The Yidinji people hail from areas around Cairns with Baker growing up at Gordonvale, which is based just south of the city of Cairns.

The Yidinji people are one of the largest Indigenous groups in the Cairns area with their country boasting tropical rainforests.

The up-and-coming apprentice has fond memories of growing up in the area before shifting south to chase her riding dreams.

“It's sort of like a rainforest area, I'd say,” Baker said.

“Through the land, we always go fishing and swimming in the creeks. We connected that way to the country through camping.”

In a general sense, Baker says she has not faced challenges coming into the racing industry as an Indigenous person as she notes that the majority of people she has come across have been welcoming.

Baker’s Yidinji heritage comes from her mother's side of the family.

Now indentured to the emerging Adam Campton at the Gold Coast, Baker’s master believes she has the perfect personality and nature to be a role model for Indigenous youth across the Sunshine State.

“Racing all around Australia is doing a great job to get young people in the industry,” Campton said.

“We want more and more. That's what keeps our game going. Look at Bailie, a young girl, a young Indigenous girl who's done a super job and I hope it opens more doors for younger people from all walks of life.

“It's a great industry. The horses are beautiful to be around.

“We have to work hard. It's a great game. It's a rewarding game.”

Since starting her race riding journey in 2025, Baker has endured a rollercoaster of emotions.

The smiling Baker debuted in the best possible fashion in July of last year by winning her maiden race at her first-ever start.

She won aboard Pungo for her master Campton at Beaudesert.

Not long after, she lost her father Glen Baker to a long cancer battle.

The natural lightweight is a fourth-generation racing participant and hails from a famous racing family in Far North Queensland. 

It was a devastating blow for Baker to lose her beloved father at the start of her racing career as he had been such a driving force in her passion for the industry.

But, Campton says he is overwhelmingly proud of the way his apprentice has conducted herself through the grieving process.

“She has continued to progress each and every month,” Campton said.

“With her old man passing away, she missed a couple of months out of the saddle, but I'm really proud of the way she picked herself back up.

“Every time she steps out, she's still improving. She's still young, she's still raw, but she's learning each and every race meeting really.

“She's lucky that she's got a great partner in Danny Peisley who's been a big help behind the scenes.

“She's a special talent. She's got incredible balance as a rider and the main thing is she's a good person.”

As Campton remarks, experienced hoop Peisley has long been in Baker’s corner as a sounding board as she has progressed through her first season as a jockey.

As well as mentoring his partner, Peisley encourages her to seek out others in the industry, including former jockeys Michael Cahill and Larry Cassidy.

He thinks she will be able to return the favour for emerging Indigenous talent in the coming years.

“I believe she's going to be a really good mentor in time,” Peisley said.

“She does everything right now. In time, she'll be a good elder. She's got to the stage where she's riding consistent now and she's getting rides. 

“She's riding well. I've supported her all the way. I do encourage her to reach out and ask other jockeys or other older mentors to try and get a different perspective instead of just coming from me.

“She does do that. She does listen. She's really lucky to have the support she's got around her.”

Baker returned to her home track of Gordonvale last year to ride at the venue for the first time in her career.

While she could not walk away with a winner, she felt victorious leaving the track on that afternoon following the significant support she received from her family members as well as other long-time locals who can remember her as a youngster growing up near the track.

“It was really cool. Just because I started off down here at the Gold Coast and all of my family is still up in Cairns at Gordonvale,” Baker said.

“So, just being surrounded by family felt pretty surreal and especially seeing Dad there was really cool before he passed away.

“I could hear them cheering coming down the straight in every race. It was really, really cool. 

“They were very, very proud. They couldn't stop filming and taking photos, they were super proud.”