Ian Balding: Trainer of a true great who leaves a legacy

Ian Balding was much more than a highly-successful racehorse trainer.

A talented all-round sportsman in his youth, he had many interests throughout his life from skiing to being a director of Southampton Football Club.

Balding was born on November 7, 1938 in America but his family returned to the UK in 1945. His mother, Ellie, was American and his father, Gerald, was a famous polo player and racehorse trainer based at Weyhill in Hampshire.

The young Balding went to the right schools for an all-round athlete. He was educated at Marlborough College before going to Christ’s College, Cambridge in 1959 to study rural estate management.

Among the sports he excelled at was rugby union, earning a blue from Cambridge at full back in 1961. He also played for Bath as well as boxing for his university, playing cricket and polo.

A keen amateur rider, he rode the winner of the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on Time in 1963 and at the age of 46 he rose to the challenge presented by the Grand National fences at Aintree, partnering Ross Poldark in the Foxhunters Chase in 1985.

His long-term career was certain to be racing too. He began as assistant to trainer Herbert Blagrave. He then had a year with his older brother, Grand National-winning trainer Toby.

Balding’s big break came when he was appointed assistant to Peter Hastings-Bass at the famous Park House Stables at Kingsclere where he would spend the rest of his career.

Hastings-Bass knew his health was deteriorating and was determined to make plans for the future before it was too late.

Balding had been there barely six months when Hastings-Bass died at the age of 43 in June 1964.

He inherited a number of influential owners, including Queen Elizabeth II and the New York-based philanthropist Paul Mellon, owner of Mill Reef. Balding married Hastings-Bass’ daughter Emma in 1969.

The winners soon flowed with the famous black and gold Mellon colours being carried to victory in the 1965 St James’s Palace Stakes and Champion Stakes by Silly Season.

But of course it is with Mill Reef that Balding is synonymous.

He was the horse of a lifetime and trained beautifully by Balding. Mill Reef had been a brilliant two-year-old and expected by many to win the 2000 Guineas. His defeat by Brigadier Gerard may have sapped the confidence of many trainers, but not Balding.

He got the horse to Epsom in the form of his life for the Derby in 1971, though Balding himself did have a little problem.

He got stuck in traffic heading to Epsom that day in June and had to run the last two miles to make sure he was there in time to saddle him.

Balding was leading trainer for the one and only time in 1971 but remained one of the best in the business for another 30 years, housing stars such as Glint Of Gold, Lochsong, Selkirk and Mrs Penny.

He was never one to shirk opportunities and found there was good money to be won overseas. He was one of the first trainers to spot the opportunities it provided and took advantage with horses like Dashing Blade and Silver Fling.

He was also one to be feared on his rare forays over jumps. He won the Imperial Cup at Sandown in 1986 with the Queen Mother’s Insular and trained a Cheltenham Festival winner, Crystal Spirit, in the Sun Alliance Novices’ Hurdle in 1991.

Balding decided to hand the licence at Park House stables to his son Andrew in 2002 but continued to play an active role in the Kingsclere operation that is still as powerful as ever.

Andrew has churned out winners at all levels from day one and there was a Classic moment in his very first season.

He saddled Casual Look to win the Oaks and was memorably interviewed by his sister Clare on the BBC. She too has done her father proud as a well-known broadcaster and author.

Balding is survived by his wife Emma, and Clare and Andrew. Toby Balding died in 2014.