'He loved his work and was dedicated to his dogs' GARY BAGGS 1948-2008.

Roy Gibbons, owner

I visited Gary in the Windsor Hospice last Friday afternoon. Although clearly gravely ill, we managed a few words but it was all about being there and holding his hand. I said my goodbye, knowing in my heart, that it was precisely that, goodbye.

Gary was my trainer, my business partner but above all my friend for over 25 years. I will not attempt to chronicle his professional life. What I will say is that through all his success Gary remained Gary.

He never suffered with an ego, always having time for anyone who wanted to have a chat. He loved his work and was dedicated to his dogs and strived, sometimes under extreme pressure, to do the best for them and their owners. Graders or open-racers, they were all treated like they were his own.

Gary was a perfectionist who expected and delivered nothing less than the best. This in many ways contributed to his stress-related illness which plagued him many times during his latter years.

He was also a football fan and his knowledge of the game was immense.

He could also 'play a bit' and it's hard to accept that just a few months ago he was enjoying a kickabout about in my back garden.

If Gary loved his dogs, then he equally loved his horses and a few years ago we shared some great but expensive times when owning a couple of handicappers.

One in particular comes to mind, mainly because we burnt our fingers a few times - the horse had a severe case of 'seconditis'. Gary would say after every race: Whoever named it must have known something. The horse was called English Mint; you needed one to own it!

I felt that after his retirement from greyhound racing, Gary would have loved to have had a go at the training the equine species. Sadly that was not to be and we will never know how good Gary would have been. Knowing Gary, it would not have been anything less than the man himself.

Top class.

Gary was a winner but try as he may could not beat the scourge that is cancer. The odds were never in his favour and perhaps this was a race he knew he couldn't win. Unfair, yes of course, but then so is life sometimes.

I could fill up this newspaper with fond memories of Gary, but would reflect later on why I never mentioned this or that. So I will keep it to a 'sprint' version with the 'marathon' locked away for perhaps another day.

Cheers GB, the memories will always remain.

Maurice Newman, trainer

Gary was a lovely man, who was always so pleased to see you. He always treated myself and Vera well and it was a pleasure to know him.

Our thoughts are with Brenda and the family.

Bill McLuskey, owner

We had so many great times and Gary trained some terrific dogs for me, dogs like Killeen Tom, Ballyshane Snow and Annes Honcho.

He was a real friend. We went horseracing together and, on or off the track, always had a great time.

Barry Clegg, WOA 

On behalf of the Walthamstow Owners' Association committee I would like to express our sadness at hearing of the passing of Gary Baggs.

Gary was a true gentleman and it was a pleasure and privilege to have known him. He was a fantastic supporter of our association and played a huge part in helping to home the dogs. He supported all of our charity nights and helped us to raise an incredible amount of money each time. He also found homes for a huge number of greyhounds himself.

In short, he put in to our scheme far more than he took out.

Many, many greyhounds are enjoying life on a sofa because of him. On behalf of the greyhounds, my committee and myself, thank you Gary and God bless.

Barry Silkman, trainer

We grew up close together, so I knew Gary most my life. I knew him for years before even realising he was a trainer. He was a very, very, very nice man. Forget just about greyhound racing, he was a gentleman and a great friend full stop.

But there are two things I'll remember about Gary for the rest of my life. I had a dog racing at Wembley called Wailea Flash, who was like a pet to me. He got killed in a race and the next morning the first two people who called me were Derek Knight, and then Gary Baggs.

The second was him coming to my BBQ this year. He told me it was the highlight of his year to then, before Stacey's wedding of course. He was ill, but he enjoyed the day. I was gutted when I first learned he was ill.

I'm now devastated.

Linda Jones, former trainer

He was a very nice man who loved his dogs. His death is a big loss to greyhound racing, and our thoughts are with his family.

Richard Rees, trainer

He was a smashing bloke, liked by everyone.

Chris Page, racing manager

We took him on at the Stow after Signal Spark won the Derby in 1987.

He was an old school professional, up there with any of them, and a great friend away from racing as well as in it. My wife is as devastated as I am.

We used to go out socially, but in all the years he never asked me for a favour as racing manager. I respected him for that, and in fact probably graded his dogs harder than those of other trainers.

When the Bags racing came along he obviously became financially better off but stress-wise it was hard for him. His standards never slipped and he would never take a short cut, never cut corners where the dogs were concerned.

I went to see him on Sunday and it was heart-rending to see him with his family all around him. But on the Saturday week before, despite all the pain he was in, he achieved his aim of walking Stacey down the aisle.

It's just tragic to lose someone at such a relatively young age.

'On the Saturday week before, despite all the pain he was in, he achieved his aim of walking Stacey down the aisle'