Andrew Matthews Balding (born 29 December 1972) is a British
racehorse trainer based at Park House Stables,
Kingsclere
Kingsclere is a large village and civil parish in Hampshire, England.
At the centre of the village lies the Church Of England parish church of St. Mary's with its distinctive tower. St. Mary's church has C12 origins. It is cruciform and has N ...
,
Hampshire
Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Berkshire to the north, Surrey and West Sussex to the east, the Isle of Wight across the Solent to the south, ...
.
Biography
Balding attended
Caldicott School
Caldicott Preparatory School is a prep school for boys aged 7–13 in southern Buckinghamshire, England.
About Caldicott
Caldicott Preparatory School was founded in Hitchin, Hertfordshire in 1904 by James Heald Jenkins who named his schoo ...
, a boys' preparatory school, and
Radley College
Radley College, formally St Peter's College, Radley or the College of St. Peter at Radley, is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (independent boarding school) for boys near the village of Radley, in Oxfordshire, in the United Kingd ...
, a public school. He became a licensed trainer in January 2003, when he succeeded his father
Ian Balding
Ian Balding (born 7 November 1938) is a British retired 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 fami ...
.
His elder sister is
Clare Balding
Clare Victoria Balding (born 29 January 1971) is an English broadcast journalist and author. She currently presents programmes for BBC Sport and Channel 4, and previously for BT Sport. She also formerly presented ''Good Morning Sunday'' on BBC ...
. His maternal grandfather was the trainer
Peter Hastings-Bass and his maternal uncle
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
Ha ...
, former trainer to Queen Elizabeth II. His maternal grandmother
Priscilla Hastings is descended from the Earls of Derby. His paternal grandfather was polo player
Gerald Barnard Balding Sr.
Balding has been married to Anna-Lisa since 15 July 2005. They have three children.
Notable horses trained by Balding include
Casual Look, the winner of the
Epsom Oaks
The Oaks Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 6 ya ...
in 2003. The win led to an emotional post-race interview with his sister.
In 2014, the Baldings' Park House Stables were visited by Irish president
Michael D. Higgins
Michael Daniel Higgins (; born 18 April 1941) is an Irish politician, poet, broadcaster, and sociologist who has been serving as the president of Ireland since 2011. Entering national politics through the Labour Party, he served as a senator ...
as part of his state visit to the UK. The Baldings were invited to ride in the King's procession at Royal Ascot 2023.
Major wins
Great Britain
*
2000 Guineas
The 2000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1.6 km) and scheduled to take place each yea ...
- (2) - ''
Kameko (2020)'', ''
Chaldean (2023)''
*
British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes - (1) - '' Kalpana (2024) ''
*
British Champions Sprint Stakes - (1) - ''
Donjuan Triumphant (2019)''
*
Cheveley Park Stakes
The Cheveley Park Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres) and is ...
- (1) - ''
Alcohol Free (2020)''
*
Coronation Stakes
The Coronation Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 7 furlong and 213 yards (1,603 metres), and it is sche ...
- (1) - ''Alcohol Free (2021)''
*
Dewhurst Stakes
The Dewhurst Stakes is a Group races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old Colt (horse), colts and Filly, fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mi ...
- (1) - ''Chaldean (2022)''
*
Epsom Oaks
The Oaks Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 6 ya ...
- (1) - ''
Casual Look (2003)''
*
July Cup
The July Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 me ...
- (1) - ''
Alcohol Free (2022) ''
*
Sussex Stakes
The Sussex Stakes is a Group 1 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), a ...
- (2) - ''Here Comes When (2017),
Alcohol Free (2021)''
*
Vertem Futurity Trophy
The Futurity Trophy is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and ...
- (2) - ''
Elm Park (2014), Kameko (2019)''
----
Australia
*
LKS Mackinnon Stakes - (1) - ''Side Glance (2013)''
----
Canada
*
Canadian International Stakes
The Canadian International Stakes is a Grade I stakes race for thoroughbred racehorses from three years of age and upwards on Turf. It is held annually at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The current purse is .
History
The Cana ...
- (1) - ''
Phoenix Reach (2003)''
*
E. P. Taylor Stakes - (1) - ''Blond Me (2017)''
*
Summer Stakes - (1) New Century (2024)
----
Hong Kong
Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...
*
Hong Kong Vase
The Hong Kong Vase is a Conditions races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Hong Kong which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run each year in mid-December over a distance of 2,400 metres (about miles o ...
- (1) - ''Phoenix Reach (2004)''
----
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...
*
Dubai Sheema Classic
The Dubai Sheema Classic is a Group 1 flat horse race in the United Arab Emirates open to thoroughbreds which are four-years-old or above. It is run over a distance of 2,400 metres (approximately miles; 2410 metres since 2010) on the turf track a ...
- (1) - ''Phoenix Reach (2005)''
See also
*
List of significant families in British horse racing
References
External links
Official website
1972 births
Living people
Sportspeople from London
British racehorse trainers
Andrew Balding
Hastings family
People from Kingsclere
People educated at Radley College
{{UK-horseracing-bio-stub