Ian Balding

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.

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

He was educated at Marlborough College and Millfield school in Somerset.

He went up to Christ's College, Cambridge, 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 became his home at the age of 26 and it is here that earned his reputation as an internationally respected trainer.

Balding was trainer of the winning horse, Mill Reef (1968–1986), ridden by Geoff Lewis, in the 1971 The Derby Stakes or Epsom Derby.

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 at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris, France.

Philanthropist Paul Mellon 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 in the Eclipse Stakes.

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 with a time of 2:32.56 on the 1 mile 4 furlongs (2,414 m) Ascot Racecourse.

Even though Mill Reef was born and bred at the Virginia Rokeby Stables he was sent to England to race on turf 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.

Balding and owner, Paul Mellon entered the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud twice consecutively.

In 1982, four-year-old Glint of Gold ridden by Pat Eddery placed first with a time of 2:41.4.

The winning time was 2:37.80 slower than that set in 1982, and 1983.

Again in 1983, the Saint-Cloud Racecourse saw a thoroughbred of Paul Mellon's stock, Diamond Shoal ridden by Steve Cauthen, win with a time of 2:34.9.

Balding has won several purses of €87,000 at the Grosser Preis von Baden (a German horse race at Iffezheim Racecourse in Baden-Baden 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 Diamond Shoal another of Paul Mellon's four-year-old thoroughbreds again ridden by Steve Cauthen in 1983.

Again in 1985 Balding trained Gold and Ivory from Paul Mellon's Thoroughbreds to win in the Grosser Preis von Baden ridden by Cauthen.

In 1986 Forest Flower, a two-year-old filly owned by Mellon, trained by Balding and ridden by Tony Ives completed the 6 furlongs (1,207 m) Cherry Hinton Stakes at the Newmarket Racecourse in 1:12.38.

In 1986 Balding trained Insular, owned by the Queen Mother, which won the 1986 Imperial Cup at Sandown.

Forest Flower performed well again in 1987 with the same trainer and jockey, winning the Irish 1,000 Guineas in the Republic of Ireland.

Forest Flower, finished the 1 mi at the Curragh Racecourse in 1:43.9.

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 purse.

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

The Dewhurst Stakes is a 7 furlongs (1,408 m) race at Newmarket's Rowley Mile course.

Ian Balding trained Dashing Blade 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., the owner, together with jockey John Matthias won the purse by completing the 1,000 metres (approximately 5 furlongs) at Longchamp Racecourse in 0:59.9.

The purse at the French Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp was a win.

Jeff Smith's two-year-old, Dashing Blade received guidance from Ian Balding to come ahead in the 1989 National Stakes.

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.