Ian Balding (born 7 November 1938) is a retired British horse trainer. He is the son of the polo player and racehorse trainer Gerald Matthews Balding and the younger brother of trainer

Toby Balding Gerald Barnard Balding Jr. OBE (23 September 1936 – 25 September 2014), known as Toby Balding, was a British racehorse trainer, one of the few to have won the "big three" British jump races—the Grand National, Cheltenham Gold Cup and ...

. Ian Balding was born in the US, but his family returned to the UK in 1945. He was educated at

Marlborough College Marlborough College is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English Independent school (United Kingdom), independent boarding school) for pupils aged 13 to 18 in Marlborough, Wiltshire, England. Founded in 1843 for the sons of Church ...

and Millfield school in

Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lord_ ...

. He went up to

Christ's College, Cambridge Christ's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college includes the Master, the Fellows of the College, and about 450 undergraduate and 170 graduate students. The college was founded by William Byngham in 1437 as ...

, in 1959 to read Rural Estate Management, where he played Rugby for the university team, gaining his Blue in 1961 at full back. He started training in 1964.

Kingsclere Kingsclere is a large village and civil parish in Hampshire, England. Geography Kingsclere is approximately equidistant ) from the towns of Basingstoke and Newbury on the A339 road. History Kingsclere can trace back its history to a p ...

became his home at the age of 26 and it is here that earned his reputation as an internationally respected trainer. He principally trained horses for flat races, but did however bring Crystal Spirit to victory in 1991 at the Sun Alliance Novices' Hurdle. Ian Balding has had influence on many top class Thoroughbreds and race horses, amongst whom some are Mill Reef, Lochsong, Mrs Penny, Glint of Gold, Diamond Shoal, Gold and Ivory, Selkirk, Forest Flower, Dashing Blade, Robellino, Silver Fling, King of Clubs, Lochangel, Top Cees, Crystal Spirit, and Tagula. Ian Balding retired in 2002 and gave his Park House stables licence at Kingsclere, Hampshire, to his son Andrew.

Career

1970s

1971

Balding was trainer of the winning horse,

Mill Reef Mill may refer to: Science and technology * * Mill (grinding) * Milling (machining) * Millwork * Textile mill * Steel mill, a factory for the manufacture of steel * List of types of mill * Mill, the arithmetic unit of the Analytical Engine ear ...

(1968–1986), ridden by

Geoff Lewis Geoff Lewis (born 21 December 1935) is a Welsh retired jockey who was born in Talgarth, Breconshire. He moved to London with his family (he was one of thirteen children) in 1946. After initially working as a hotel page boy, he s ...

, in the 1971 The Derby Stakes or

Epsom Derby The Derby Stakes, also known as the Epsom Derby or the Derby, and as the Cazoo Derby for sponsorship reasons, is a Group 1 flat horse race in England open to three-year-old colts and fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs Racecourse in Surrey o ...

. The winning time was recorded at 2:37.14. Balding was again Mill Reef's trainer when the horse won the 1971

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris, France, over a distance ...

Longchamp Racecourse The Longchamp Racecourse (french: Hippodrome de Longchamp) is a 57 hectare horse-racing facility located on the Route des Tribunes at the Bois de Boulogne in Paris, France. It is used for flat racing and is noted for its variety of interlaced tr ...

in Paris, France. Philanthropist

Paul Mellon Paul Mellon (June 11, 1907 – February 1, 1999) was an American philanthropist and an owner/breeder of thoroughbred racehorses. He is one of only five people ever designated an "Exemplar of Racing" by the National Museum of Racing and Hall ...

was Mill Reef's owner and the horse was again ridden by jockey Geoff Lewis. The purse won was €1,600,000. Mill Reef was introduced to racing older horses at

Sandown Park Sandown Park is a horse racing course and leisure venue in Esher, Surrey, England, located in the outer suburbs of London. It hosts 5 Grade One National Hunt races and one Group 1 flat race, the Eclipse Stakes. It regularly has horse rac ...

in the

Eclipse Stakes The Eclipse Stakes is a Group races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown P ...

. With the same owner and jockey Mill Reef came in at a time of 2:05.40. 1971 was an excellent year for this three-year-old horse and its team, coming in first at the

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot o ...

with a time of 2:32.56 on the 1 mile 4

furlong A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one eighth of a mile, equivalent to 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 rods, 10 chains or approximately 201 metres. It is now mostly confined to use in hors ...

s (2,414 m)

Ascot Racecourse Ascot Racecourse ("ascot" pronounced , often pronounced ) is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, which is used for thoroughbred horse racing. It hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 horse races and ...

. Even though Mill Reef was born and bred at the

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

Rokeby Stables Rokeby Stables was an American thoroughbred racehorse breeding farm in Upperville, Virginia, involved with both steeplechase and flat racing. The operation was established in the late 1940s by Paul Mellon (1907–1999) who won the Eclipse Award ...

he was sent to England to race on

turf Sod, also known as turf, is the upper layer of soil with the grass growing on it that is often harvested into rolls. In Australian and British English, sod is more commonly known as ''turf'', and the word "sod" is limited mainly to agricult ...

courses in Europe and to be trained by Balding. Geoff Lewis rode Mill Reef in all his races, bearing the owner's colours: black with gold cross, stripe on cap.

1980s

1982

Balding and owner, Paul Mellon entered the

Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud The Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Saint-Cloud over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), and it is ...

twice consecutively. In 1982, four-year-old

Glint of Gold Glint of Gold (5 April 1978 – 1990) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. A middle-distance specialist, he was noted for his toughness and consistency, winning ten races, finishing second six times and third once in a seventeen r ...

ridden by

Pat Eddery Patrick James John Eddery (18 March 1952 – 10 November 2015) was an Irish flat racing jockey and trainer. He rode three winners of the Derby and was Champion Jockey on eleven occasions. He rode the winners of 4,632 British flat races, a f ...

placed first with a time of 2:41.4. Again in 1983, the

Saint-Cloud Racecourse Hippodrome de Saint-Cloud is a grass race course for Thoroughbred flat horse racing opened in 1901 at 1 rue du Camp Canadien in Saint-Cloud near Paris, France. During World War 1, the race course site housed the No. 4 Canadian Stationary Hospita ...

saw a thoroughbred of Paul Mellon's stock,

Diamond Shoal Diamond Shoal (6 May 1979 – ca.1996) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He showed some promise as a two-year-old, winning two of his six races. In the following year he won only one minor race but was placed in several major rac ...

ridden by

Steve Cauthen Steve Cauthen (born May 1, 1960) is a retired American jockey. In 1977 he became the first jockey to win over $6 million in a year working with agent Lenny Goodman, and in 1978 he became the youngest jockey to win the U. S. ...

, win with a time of 2:34.9. Balding has won several purses of €87,000 at the

Grosser Preis von Baden The Grosser Preis von Baden is a Group 1 flat horse race in Germany open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Baden-Baden over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), and it is schedu ...

(a German horse race at

Iffezheim Racecourse Iffezheim is a town in the district of Rastatt (district), Rastatt in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. It lies close to the Rhine river, where the Lock Iffezheim is also situated. Iffezheim is also known for the horse races, which takes place three ...

Baden-Baden Baden-Baden () is a spa town in the states of Germany, state of Baden-Württemberg, south-western Germany, at the north-western border of the Black Forest mountain range on the small river Oos (river), Oos, ten kilometres (six miles) east of the ...

of 2400 metres (12 furlongs). Glint of Gold, a four-year-old, performed well in 1982 under jockey Pat Eddery. The time of 2:29.10 by Glint of Gold was shortened to 2:28.00 by

another of Paul Mellon's four-year-old thoroughbreds again ridden by Steve Cauthen in 1983.

1985

Again in 1985 Balding trained Gold and Ivory from Paul Mellon's Thoroughbreds to win in the Grosser Preis von Baden ridden by Cauthen. The winning time was 2:37.80 slower than that set in 1982, and 1983.

1986

In 1986 Forest Flower, a two-year-old

filly A filly is a female horse that is too young to be called a mare. There are two specific definitions in use: *In most cases, a ''filly'' is a female horse under four years old. *In some nations, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, t ...

owned by Mellon, trained by Balding and ridden by

Tony Ives Tony may refer to: People and fictional characters * Tony (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Gregory Tony (born 1978), American law enforcement officer * Motu Tony (born 1981), New Zealand international rugby leagu ...

completed the 6

s (1,207 m)

Cherry Hinton Stakes The Duchess of Cambridge Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old fillies. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), ...

at the

Newmarket Racecourse Newmarket Racecourse is a British Thoroughbred horse racing venue in Newmarket, Suffolk, Newmarket, Suffolk, comprising two individual racecourses: the Rowley Mile and the July Course. Newmarket is often referred to as the headquarters of ...

in 1:12.38. Forest Flower performed well again in 1987 with the same trainer and jockey, winning the

Irish 1,000 Guineas The Irish 1,000 Guineas is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is scheduled ...

in the Republic of Ireland. Forest Flower, finished the at the

Curragh Racecourse The Curragh Racecourse -- usually referred to as simply the Curragh -- is one of Ireland's most important Thoroughbred racecourses. It is situated on the Curragh plain in County Kildare, between the towns of Newbridge and Kildare. History T ...

in 1:43.9. In 1986 Balding trained Insular, owned by

the Queen Mother ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

, which won the 1986

Imperial Cup The Imperial Cup is a Premier Handicap National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of about 2 miles (1 ...

at Sandown.

1988

Jockey Pat Eddery rode Silver Fling at the Goodwood Racecourse in 1988. This three-year-old was trained by Ian Balding to capture the

King George Stakes The King George Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 5 furlongs (1,006 metres), and it is ...

purse. Silver Fling won the 5 furlongs (1,006 m) in 0:58.50.

1989

The

Dewhurst Stakes The Dewhurst Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres ...

is a 7 furlongs (1,408 m) race at Newmarket's Rowley Mile course. Ian Balding trained

Dashing Blade Dashing Blade (1 March 1987 – 15 August 2013) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire who won major races in Ireland, England, France and Italy. As a two-year-old in 1989 he was one of the best colts of his generation in Europe winning f ...

to come in first in 1989 with a time of 1:25.43. Jockey John Matthias and owner Jeff Smith were also part of this team. 1989 again saw a four-year-old, Silver Fling brought to the winner's circle which was trained by Ian Balding.

George W. Strawbridge Jr. George W. Strawbridge Jr. (born October 10, 1937) is an American educator, historian, investor, sportsman and philanthropist. Biography Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he was the son of Margaret ("Peggy") Dorrance and the stockbroker Geor ...

, the owner, together with jockey John Matthias won the purse by completing the 1,000 metres (approximately 5 furlongs) at

in 0:59.9. The purse at the French

Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp The Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged two years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,000 metres (about 5 furlongs), ...

was a win. Jeff Smith's two-year-old,

received guidance from Ian Balding to come ahead in the 1989

National Stakes The Vincent O'Brien National Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metr ...

. The 7

s (1,408 m) at the

Curragh The Curragh ( ; ga, An Currach ) is a flat open plain of almost of common land in County Kildare. This area is well known for Irish horse breeding and training. The Irish National Stud is located on the edge of Kildare town, beside the ...

was completed in 1:25.2 with jockey John Matthias. A 5 furlongs (1,006 metres)

Group 3 Group 3 may refer to: *Group 3 element, chemical element classification *Group 3 (racing), FIA classification for auto racing * Group 3, the third tier of races in worldwide Thoroughbred horse racing * Group 3 image format, Group 3 & Group 4 are ...

flat Flat or flats may refer to: Architecture * Flat (housing), an apartment in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and other Commonwealth countries Arts and entertainment * Flat (music), a symbol () which denotes a lower pitch * Flat (soldier), ...

race was won by Silver Fling in 1989. Jockey John Matthias rode the horse to victory in a time of 0:58.27. The trainer was Ian Balding to help achieve this

Palace House Stakes The Palace House Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 5 furlongs (1,006 metres) on the Rowle ...

purse at Newmarket's Rowley Mile course.

1990s

1990

Paul Mellon entered two-year-old

Heart of Darkness ''Heart of Darkness'' (1899) is a novella by Polish-English novelist Joseph Conrad in which the sailor Charles Marlow tells his listeners the story of his assignment as steamer captain for a Belgian company in the African interior. The novel ...

in the 1990

. Jockey Pat Shanahan brought Heart of Darkness to victory in the 7 furlongs (1,408 m) race with a time of 1:23.1 The

Washington Singer Stakes The Denford Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old horses. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres), and it is scheduled to take place eac ...

was also a win for Heart of Darkness in 1990. Steve Cauthen, jockey, and Ian Balding entered the

Listed Listed may refer to: * Listed, Bornholm, a fishing village on the Danish island of Bornholm * Listed (MMM program), a television show on MuchMoreMusic * Endangered species in biology * Listed building, in architecture, designation of a historicall ...

race which is 7

s (1,408 m). Heart of Darkness placed first at the

Newbury Racecourse Newbury Racecourse is a racecourse and events venue in the civil parish of Greenham, adjoining the town of Newbury in Berkshire, England. It has courses for flat races and over jumps. It hosts one of Great Britain's 36 annual Group 1 flat r ...

with a time of 1:30.41. The

Prix Eugène Adam The Prix Eugène Adam is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Maisons-Laffitte over a distance of 2,000 metres (about 1 miles), and it is scheduled to ta ...

at the French

Maisons-Laffitte Racecourse The Hippodrome de Maisons-Laffitte at 1 avenue de la Pelouse in the northwestern Parisian suburb of Maisons-Laffitte in France was a grass, turf horse racing facility and Hippodrome, track for Thoroughbred flat racing. Opened in 1878 by Joseph Olle ...

was a win for Dashing Blade who was ridden by John Matthias in 1990. This three-year-old completed the distance of 2,000 metres (approximately 1 mile 2 furlongs) in 2:03.6. Jeff Smith's three-year-old Dashing Blade competed in the 1990

Gran Premio d'Italia The Gran Premio d'Italia is a Listed flat horse race in Italy open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Milan over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), and it is scheduled to take place each year in June. History The event was ...

. Jockey

Brian Rouse Brian (sometimes spelled Bryan in English) is a male given name of Irish and Breton origin, as well as a surname of Occitan origin. It is common in the English-speaking world. It is possible that the name is derived from an Old Celtic word mean ...

won the race at the

San Siro Racecourse The Hippodrome of San Siro ( it, Ippodromo di San Siro) is a horse racing venue in Milan, Italy, which takes its name from the neighborhood of the same name in which it is located. History Designed in 1913 to replace the then-used Trotter in ...

in Milan with a time of 2:29.2 Song of Sixpence ran the 1 mile 2 furlongs and 7 yards (2,018 metres) in 2:07.40. This six-year-old was ridden by jockey, Steve Cauthen to complete the

Winter Hill Stakes The Winter Hill Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Windsor over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs (2,012 metres), and it is ...

in first place.

1991

In 1991 jockey

Jimmy Frost Jimmy may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Jimmy'' (2008 film), a 2008 Hindi thriller directed by Raj N. Sippy * ''Jimmy'' (1979 film), a 1979 Indian Malayalam film directed by Melattoor Ravi Varma * ''Jimmy'' (2013 f ...

brought four-year-old novice racehorse, Crystal Spirit, to victory in the Sun Alliance Novices' Hurdle. This Grade 1

National Hunt In horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Republic of Ireland, National Hunt racing requires horses to jump fences and ditches. National Hunt racing in the UK is informally known as "jumps" and is divided into two major distinct branches: ...

hurdle race is a length of 2 miles 5 furlongs (4,225 m) at Cheltenham Racecourse. The

Queen Elizabeth II Stakes The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is s ...

saw Selkirk win with a time of 1:44.34 in 1991. In 1992, Ian Balding was the trainer for Selkirk, ridden by now retired jockey

Ray Cochrane Ray Cochrane (born 18 June 1957 in Banbridge, County Down, Northern Ireland) is a retired Northern Irish horse racing jockey and current sports agent. Cochrane was the winning jockey in three of the five British Classic Races: the 1000 Gui ...

, the owner saw the horse come in first in a time of 1:36.99. Selkik also won the

Celebration Mile The Celebration Mile is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is scheduled to t ...

in 1992 with a time of 1:41:72 on the Goodwood Racecourse. Again Ray Cochrane was the jockey. Selkirk received three victories in 1992, achieving success at the Challenge Stakes. The four-year-old ran the distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 m) in 1:22.27 at Newmarket's Rowley Mile course.

1992

1992 was a busy season for Ian Balding, who was also able to train

Poker Chip Casino tokens (also known as casino or gaming chips, checks, cheques or poker chips) are small discs used in terms of currency in casinos. Colored metal, injection-molded plastic or compression molded clay tokens of various denominations are us ...

and achieve victory at the

Flying Childers Stakes The Flying Childers Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old horses. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 5 furlongs and 3 yards (1,008 metres), and it is sched ...

. Working together with jockey Michael Hills, the 5 furlongs (1,006 m) Doncaster Racecourse was completed in 1:00.56. Lochsong, a four-year-old, won the 1992 Ayr Gold Cup under the guidance of Ian Balding and riding skill of Francis Arrowsmith. This 6 furlongs (1,207 m) race at

Ayr Racecourse Ayr Racecourse at Whitletts Road, Ayr, Scotland,''British Racing and Racecourses'' () by Marion Rose Halpenny – Page 71 was opened in 1907. There are courses for flat and for National Hunt racing. History Horse racing in Ayr dates back to 157 ...

saw a finishing time of 1:15.51. Ian Balding showed his skill in continuing training Lochsong, a bay

, who was a winner in a

horse race for two-year-old and above thoroughbreds. Lochsong was ridden by jockey,

Frankie Dettori Lanfranco Dettori (; born 15 December 1970), better known as Frankie Dettori, is an Italian horse racing jockey based in the United Kingdom. Dettori has been British flat racing Champion Jockey three times and has ...

, and the horse owner was Jeff Smith.

Nunthorpe Stakes The Nunthorpe Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged two years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 5 furlongs (1,006 metres), and it is sched ...

was won in a time of 0:58.12 in 1993.

was completed by this team, 1,000 metres (approximately 5 furlongs) in 0:59.7 brought in the 1993 purse.

1994

1994 again saw Lochsong, bring in a victory by jockey, Frankie Dettori and trainer, Ian Balding with a time of 1:00.84. This time was over a distance of 5 furlongs and 6 yards (1,011 m) at Sandown Park in the

Temple Stakes The Temple Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Haydock Park over a distance of 5 furlongs (1,006 metres), and it is scheduled ...

. The 1993

Sprint Stakes purse was captured again by the team of Lochsong, Frankie Dettori. This 5 furlongs 6 yards (1,011 m) race was made in a net time of 1:00.32. The Oak Tree Stakes purse was also an easy win in 1993 for this same team. Lochsong ran the 7 furlongs (1,408 m) at Goodwood Racecourse in 1:00.20. Again in 1994, the time of 0:57.36 at Goodwood Racecourse won the Oak Tree Stakes purse. The

King's Stand Stakes The King's Stand Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 5 furlongs (1,006 metres), and it is scheduled ...

saw victory also in 1994 to this same team for Lochsong who easily completed the 5 furlongs (1,006 m) at

in a time of 1:00.73. 1994 also brought victory again at the

in France bringing in a purse for a run completed in 0:57.2. Lochsong was voted as the 1993 European Horse of the Year. Frankie Dettori, an Italian jockey of fame who was a Lester Award winner as well as nominated as a members of the Order of the British Empire.

1995

Trainer Ian Balding, and jockey

Walter Swinburn Walter Robert John Swinburn (7 August 1961 – 12 December 2016) was a flat racing jockey and trainer who competed in Great Britain and internationally. Biography Swinburn was born in Oxford. He was the son of Wally Swinburn, who won ...

combined to help the two-year-old,

Tagula Tagula is a village in Valga Parish, Valga County in southern Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finla ...

run the distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 m) in 1:11.83. This recorded time at the Newmarket Racecourse was enough to win the purse at the

July Stakes The July Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old colts and geldings. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and ...

in 1995. Robert and Elizabeth Hitchins had success at the

Prix Morny The Prix Morny is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 1,200 metres (about 6 furlongs), and it is scheduled ...

also with Tagula in 1995. Walter Swinburn and Ian Balding were able to complete the 1,200 metres (approximately 6 furlongs) French

Deauville Racecourse Hippodrome Deauville-La Touques is a race track for thoroughbred horse racing located in Deauville in the Calvados département, in the Normandy ''région'' of France. Originally called Hippodrome de la Touques, it was named for the Touques River ...

in 1:11.6

1996

Jockey Pat Eddery rode a four-year-old named Grey Shot in 1996 at

Goodwood Racecourse Goodwood Racecourse is a horse-racing track five miles north of Chichester, West Sussex, in England controlled by the family of the Duke of Richmond, whose seat is nearby Goodwood House. It hosts the annual Glorious Goodwood meeting in lat ...

. Ian Balding as Grey Shot's trainer achieved a time of 3:25.17 in a 2 miles (3,219 m)

Group 2 The term Group 2 may refer to: * Alkaline earth metal, a chemical element classification * Astronaut Group 2, also known as The New Nine, the second group of astronauts selected by NASA in 1962 * Group 2 (racing), an FIA classification for cars in ...

flat race, which earned the team the Goodwood Cup. Ian Balding teamed up with former jockey Pat Eddery who won the

Lester Award __NOTOC__ A Lester Award is one of a range of awards given to jockeys at an annual ceremony in Great Britain. The awards are named in honour of Lester Piggott, an eleven-time British flat racing Champion Jockey who won thirty British Classic Races ...

for Flat Jockey of the Year. Showing his skill at training Thoroughbreds in a flat race, Ian Balding trained Jayannpee, a five-year-old, to complete the 6 furlongs 8 yards (1,214 m) race. Willie Ryan, the jockey, rode Jayannpee to win the

Hackwood Stakes The Hackwood Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it is sc ...

purse in 1996. The 1996

Princess Margaret Stakes The Princess Margaret Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old fillies. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it is scheduled to tak ...

purse was achieved by the

Seebe Seebe is a former hamlet in Alberta, Canada, within the Municipal District of Bighorn No. 8. It is a former Calgary Power Company Ltd. employee townsite that was closed on August 31, 2004. The name Seebe comes from the Cree word for river. ...

who was ridden by Michael Hills. This 6 furlongs (1,207 m)

race was achieved in a time of 1:14.81.

1997

Grey Shot, a five-year-old, ran the a distance of 2 miles (3,219 m) at Newmarket in 1997. The

Jockey Club Cup A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...

was the price to the delight of trainer Ian Balding and jockey Richard Quinn. A 7 furlongs (1,408 metres)

flat race was raced in 1997 by Hidden Meadow. The European Free Handicap was completed in 1:25.60 by jockey Frankie Dettori.

1998

1998 saw a win for Ian Balding the trainer of Jeff Smith's Lochangel in the

. This race was completed in 0:56.83 by jockey Frankie Dettori.

1999

Top Cees was entered in the United Kingdom handicap race at Newmarket Racecourse in 1999. The

Cesarewitch Handicap The Cesarewitch Handicap is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Newmarket over a distance of 2 miles and 2 furlongs (3,621 metres ...

purse was won with a time of 3:40.30 over 2 miles 1 furlong 65 yards (3,479 m). Again teaming up with jockey

Kieren Fallon Kieren Francis Fallon (born 22 February 1965 in Crusheen, County Clare, Ireland) is a retired Irish professional flat racing jockey and was British Champion Jockey six times. Career Stable jockey to Henry Cecil I ...

was able to bring this nine-year-old, Top Cees to victory. Grangeville was the 1999 winner at the Ayr Gold Cup for trainer Ian Balding, and jockey Kieren Fallon. 1:11.16 was the completion time to win this purse. Ian Balding and jockey Kieren Fallon again paired up in 1999 and bring the four-year-old Trans Island to victory at the

Prix Daniel Wildenstein The Prix Daniel Wildenstein is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,600 metres (about 1 mile), and it is s ...

. 1:44.9 was the time of completion for the distance of 1,600 metres (approximately 1 mile) at the

race at Longchamp Racecourse. Continuing their good fortune in 1999 Kieren Fallon rode Putuna, a four-year-old filly to victory in the

Dahlia Stakes The Dahlia Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 1 mile and 1 furlong (1,811 metres) on ...

. She covered the 1 mile 1

(1,811 m) at Newmarket in 1:46.10.

Halmahera Halmahera, formerly known as Jilolo, Gilolo, or Jailolo, is the largest island in the Maluku Islands. It is part of the North Maluku province of Indonesia, and Sofifi, the capital of the province, is located on the west coast of the island. Hal ...

is a four-year-old which was ridden by jockey

Kevin Darley Kevin Darley (born 5 August 1960, in Penn, Wolverhampton) is a retired jockey, and a co-president of the Jockeys' Association of Great Britain. He was British flat racing Champion Apprentice in 1978 with 70 wins and Champion Jockey in 2000 wi ...

in the 1999

Chipchase Stakes The Chipchase Stakes is a Group races, Group 3 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Newcastle Racecourse, Newcastle over a dista ...

Newcastle Racecourse Newcastle Racecourse is a horse racing course located at Gosforth Park in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, owned by Arena Racing Company. It stages both flat and National Hunt racing, with its biggest meeting being the Northumberland Plate held a ...

. A time of 1:11.23 on the 6 furlongs (1,207 m) brought in the purse, for this horse trained by Ian Balding

2000s

2000

Ian Balding demonstrated his versatility as a trainer by starting the new millennium with Brandon Court's victory over hurdles at the Cheltenham New Year meeting.

2001

Later, in 2001, Ian Balding was able to bring a four-year-old, Distant Prospect and arrive again at Newmarket. Distant Prospect travelled the length of the

, 2 miles 2

s (3,621 m) from

Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire (abbreviated Cambs.) is a Counties of England, county in the East of England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the north-east, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and North ...

to place first for the Cesarewitch Handicap purse in

Suffolk Suffolk () is a ceremonial county of England in East Anglia. It borders Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south; the North Sea lies to the east. The county town is Ipswich; other important towns include Lowes ...

with jockey,

Martin Dwyer Martin Dwyer (born 28 June 1975 in Aintree, Liverpool, Merseyside) is an English Epsom Derby winning flat racing jockey having won the 2006 Vodafone Derby upon Sir Percy. This was his second classic success after winning The Oaks aboard Casual ...

. The race was completed in a time of 4:00.27. In 2001, Ian Balding brings Nicobar a four-year-old, to Sandown Park racecourse to win the

Sandown Mile The Sandown Mile is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres) at Sandown Park in late April. Histo ...

in 1:49.61. Irish born, Kieren Fallon was Nicobar's jockey at this event. Also in 2001 Ian Balding sees

Firebreak A firebreak or double track (also called a fire line, fuel break, fireroad and firetrail in Australia) is a gap in vegetation or other combustible material that acts as a barrier to slow or stop the progress of a bushfire or wildfire. A firebre ...

ridden by jockey Martin Dwyer come to victory. The two-year-old won the

Mill Reef Stakes The Mill Reef Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-olds. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it is scheduled ...

in 1:11.79 at the Newbury Racecourse which is 6 furlongs and 8 yards (1,214 m) in distance. The 1 mile 2 furlongs and 7 yards (2,018 m) at Sandown Park was completed in 2:08.69 by Border Arrow. This six-year-old won the 2001

Brigadier Gerard Stakes The Brigadier Gerard Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 1 mile 1 furlong and 209 yards (), and i ...

under the guidance of Ian Balding and jockey Frankie Dettori. Trans Island, now a five-year-old won the

Diomed Stakes The Diomed Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile and 113 yards (1,713 metres), and it is s ...

in 2000. Kieren Fallon, jockey, and trainer, Ian Balding, saw the 1 mile 114 yards (1,714 m) completed in 1:44.15 at the

Epsom Downs Racecourse Epsom Downs is a Grade 1 racecourse on the hills associated with Epsom in Surrey, England which is used for thoroughbred horse racing. The "Downs" referred to in the name are part of the North Downs. The course, which has a crowd capacity of 13 ...

Awards

*Ian Balding won the 1971 award as

British flat racing Champion Trainer The Champion Trainer of flat racing in Great Britain is the trainer whose horses have won the most prize money during a season. The list below shows the Champion Trainer for each year since 1896. The Championship was originally run from November ...

flat racing Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...

in Great Britain. This award is presented to the trainer whose horses have won the most

prize money Prize money refers in particular to naval prize money, usually arising in naval warfare, but also in other circumstances. It was a monetary reward paid in accordance with the prize law of a belligerent state to the crew of a ship belonging to t ...

during a season. *Honorary member of the Jockey Club.

Personal life

He married Emma Hastings-Bass, now Lady Emma Balding, in 1969; they have two children. Emma is the only daughter of the trainer

Peter Hastings-Bass Peter Robin Hood Hastings-Bass (16 July 1920–4 June 1964) was a British racehorse trainer. Hastings-Bass was born Peter Hastings in 1920. His father was Aubrey Hastings (a son of the 14th Earl of Huntingdon), who trained three Grand Nation ...

and the sister of another trainer,

William Hastings-Bass, 17th Earl of Huntingdon William Edward Robin Hood Hastings-Bass, 17th Earl of Huntingdon, (born 30 January 1948), is an English hereditary peer and former racehorse trainer to Queen Elizabeth II. He was a member of the House of Lords from 1990 to 1999. Early life H ...

. Their daughter Clare Balding was born in 1971 and is a journalist and broadcaster. Their son

Andrew Balding Andrew Matthews Balding (born 29 December 1972) is a British racehorse trainer based at Park House Stables, Kingsclere, near Newbury, Berkshire. Balding attended Caldicott School, a boys' preparatory school, and Radley College, a public school ...

was born in 1972 and is a Kingsclere horse trainer.

Published works

* Balding, Ian ''Making the Running: A Racing Life''. (2004) Headline Book Publishing Ltd.

Notes

External links

Kingsclere – Heritage & Genealogy
{{DEFAULTSORT:Balding, Ian 1938 births Living people American emigrants to England People educated at Marlborough College Alumni of Christ's College, Cambridge People educated at Millfield British racehorse trainers

Ian Ian or Iain is a name of Scottish Gaelic origin, derived from the Hebrew given name (Yohanan, ') and corresponding to the English name John. The spelling Ian is an Anglicization of the Scottish Gaelic forename ''Iain''. It is a popular name in Sc ...

American people of English descent Cambridge University R.U.F.C. players People from Kingsclere American expatriates in England