Ian Balding, trainer of the great Mill Reef among of a host of top-class horses to have passed through his Kingsclere stable, has died at the age of 87.
The news was announced in a social media post from Park House Stables, which read, “We are deeply sorry to share the sad news that Ian Balding has passed away.
“A wonderful family man, a hugely successful racehorse trainer and a brilliant sportsman.
“He will be greatly missed by all at Park House.”
Balding was champion trainer in 1971, the year in which Paul Mellon's homebred Mill Reef won the Derby, Eclipse, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
His father Gerald and brother Toby were both trainers, and in 2002 Balding handed over the licence at Park House Stables to his son, Andrew, who has continued to expand the powerful yard and is now a multiple Classic-winning trainer in his own right.
An accomplished sportsman, Balding was a Cambridge Blue in rugby and rode successfully over jumps as an amateur. He was married to Emma, a successful breeder and owner of Kingsclere Stud whose father Peter Hastings-Bass trained at Kingsclere prior to Balding. Their daughter Clare is the celebrated BBC broadcaster and author.
In a tribute to her father on her Instagram account, Clare Balding said, “My Dad was one of a kind. Fearless, funny and charming, he was an all-round sportsman, a great trainer and a beautiful horseman. He loved his dogs, his horses, and his family – probably in that order. He shared with me his passion for sport and taught me to be brave enough to chase a dream, even if it seemed impossible. We'll miss him so much.”
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