HORSE racing trainer George Baker, who is a sure bet when it comes to a marketing opportunity, was rubbing shoulders on the red carpet with the stars of Fifty Shades Darker thanks to a bit of quick thinking a few years ago.

Mr Baker, who trains at Manton, near Marlborough, realised the books by E L James were likely to be generating interest for some time and rang the horse racing powers at Weatherbys to register the names.

He said: "I had to get Erika's (E.L. James) permission. Getting in touch with her involved several telephone calls in many directions, and was not exactly easy. But once contact was made, it transpired that Erika was not only happy for me to use the names, but was keen to be involved."

This led to last Thursday's visit to the film premiere at Leicester Square with the likes of Dakota Johnson who plays the part of Anastasia Steele in the erotic drama.

Mr Baker said: "At Royal Ascot a few years back, there was a lot of talk about the Fifty trilogy. Fifty Shades Of Grey has been a star horse for us, winning plenty, including two big Goodwood handicaps, and taking us to some good places.

"Fifty Shades Freed won six times, and was placed on numerous occasions. He is now in Sweden with a retired Colonel.

"Fifty Shades Darker was less good. But two out of three ain't too bad."

Horse racing fans in Wiltshire will also have a filly with a familiar name to follow thanks to top trainer David Elsworth's decision to take a trip down memory lane.

Mr Elsworth, who is now based in Newmarket but spent several years at Lynes Yard in Bishops Cannings, near Devizes in the 1970s, working with

Lieutenant-Colonel Ricky Vallance.

Mr Elsworth, who went on to train legendary grey chaser Desert Orchid, has fond memories of his time in Bishops Cannings including making the dash from the village to the old St Margaret's Hospital in Swindon for the birth of his first child Simon.

He said: "I was born in Salisbury so I am still a Wiltshire man at heart. We had some good winners there. Ricky Vallance's name was down as trainer as I couldn't get permission to use the gallops but it was really me that was in charge when the likes of Red Candle won the Mackeson Gold Cup in 1972 and the Hennessy in 1973."

He said he named the young filly, that run at Lingfield for the first time last week, Bishops Cannings as part owner Julian Nettlefold had ridden out for him back in his time in the village.

Although Bishops Cannings faded in her first race he has hopes she will do well over a mile or mile and a half. He said: "She is not the finished article yet."