An extraordinarily successful year for Aidan O’Brien was recognised at the Dorchester Hotel in London last night as four Ballydoyle charges were honoured at the 26th annual Cartier Racing Awards while the master handler received the Cartier/Daily Telegraph Award of Merit.

George Baker is an infrequent visitor to Newcastle but the rider left Tyneside on Saturday with the two biggest races of the track’s year in the bag, including the final John Smith’s Northumberland Plate to be run on turf with Quest For More.