Mill Reef

Since the death of Ian Balding, we have been reflecting on treasured memories not only of the highly respected trainer but also of one of Kingsclere's greatest patrons, Paul Mellon. It was fitting, therefore, that Andrew Balding should have won at Newcastle last Friday with Level Look, who was bred by Emma Balding at Kingsclere Stud and is raced by the Kingsclere Racing Club, whose horses keep the famous black and gold Mellon silks alive. On a much grander scale, another fitting recent result was that of the General Sires'...

Ian Balding, who has died at the age of 87, made an indelible impression on the turf, not only as the trainer of some wonderful horses including Mill Reef, but also as mentor to many young people who subsequently graduated to success in the sport. Most notable is his son Andrew, who succeeded him at the helm of Kingsclere in 2002 and who has subsequently ensured that Kingsclere remains synonymous with both success and class. Ian Balding and his elder brother Toby were born in the USA where their father...

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...

This year's renewal of the G2 Mill Reef Stakes will be run in honour of the late Geoff Lewis, whose association with the great Mill Reef was the highlight of the Welshman's hugely successful career in the saddle. Lewis, who died last month at the age of 89, partnered Mill Reef to win 12 of his 14 career starts, notably landing the Derby, Eclipse, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in an outstanding three-year-old campaign in 1971. He later embarked on a training...

Geoff Lewis, rider of the great Mill Reef and later a key figure on the Epsom training scene, has died at the age of 89. The Welshman was aboard the Ian Balding-trained Mill Reef when he won the both the Derby and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in 1971, an association that was the highlight of a hugely successful career in the saddle. Lewis partnered the colt to win 12 of his 14 starts, with his other Group 1 victories during that exceptional three-year-old season coming in the Eclipse and...

A special aspect of British racing is the existence of some spectacular country estates devoted solely to the purpose of breeding and training racehorses. For anyone with a love of the turf, names such as Kingsclere, Manton and Beckhampton have resonated down the years.  We owe a debt of gratitude to those who ensure that they continue in this modern era, with their swathes of land so attractive to developers and their historic buildings so expensive to maintain. Andrew Balding's base at Park House Stables has subsumed its village's name...

I wish I had met Paul Mellon. He does seem to have been a rather good egg. Mill Reef was born the year before me and though I wasn't precocious enough to have enjoyed his racing career live, for some reason, since I started taking a serious interest in racing, he has long been one of my favourite horses. I think a lot of it has to do with Mellon himself.  Can you imagine a modern-day Gimcrack-winning owner writing a poem about his horse, as Mellon did for Mill Reef...

In partnership with the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame and the Oak Spring Garden Foundation, Tampa Bay Downs will present a screening of the documentary film Mill Reef: A Legacy of Heart on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 6:30 p.m. at the racetrack in Tampa, Fla. The event is free to attend and open to the public, but advance registration will be required. Beverages and light fare will be available. To register, click here. Mill Reef: A Legacy of Heart chronicles the legendary racehorse Mill Reef, who was...

With Heather Anderson, TDN Associate International Editor First job in the Thoroughbred industry? Interning at a reproduction centre at Peterson & Smith down in Florida. Biggest influence on your career? My parents. Neither are in the industry, but they gave me a good foundation and the right mind set to succeed. Favourite racehorse of all time, and why? Tiznow. He's still the only dual winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. Who will be champion first-season sire in 2023? Land Force. Greatest race in the world? G1 Prix de l'Arc...

The late Vincent O'Brien, a master trainer on the Flat and over jumps, is the first of his profession to be inducted to the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame. His name was announced along with three equine stars of the 1970s, Mill Reef, Nijinsky and Brigadier Gerard (GB). Marking the 10th anniversary of QIPCO's sponsorship of the British Champions Series, the Hall of Fame was launched in May with the inaugural inductees Lester Piggott and Frankel (GB). During an illustrious career, O'Brien notched 141 Group 1 wins, with...

Mill Reef (Never Bend), who won the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. 50 years ago, has been honoured with the QIPCO Diamonds & Pearls Award, QIPCO announced on Thursday. Second in the 2000 Guineas, the diminutive Paul Mellon homebred with the big heart would go on to win the Derby and break the course record at Epsom Downs. In the 1971 King George, the Ian Balding trainee drew off to win by six lengths. His regular jockey, Geoff Lewis, stated at the time, "Daylight was second." Retired...

Nothing sacred just appears out of the wilderness; it is always the outcome of an evolutionary process with many layers of development. In racing, France and arguably Europe's self-proclaimed 'monument', the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, emerged from a lengthy spell of planning and forethought into how the country could showcase its own talent in direct competition with its neighbours. With the hippodrome at Longchamp superseding the worn-out Champ de Mars circuit in 1857, the Societe d'Encouragement pour l'Amelioration des Races de Chevaux en France looked to provide some prizes...