Clare Baldinghas expressed an emotional tribute to her ‘courageous’ horse trainer father Ian Balding, following his passing at the age of 87.
Mr. Balding was a renowned and accomplished trainer as well as a rider who secured victory at the Cheltenham Festival.
He gained recognition through the horse Mill Reef, who achieved multiple victories just six years after Mr. Balding received his racing license at the age of 26.
Mill Reef was a two-year-old horse that later claimed victory in the Derby, Eclipse, and King.George VIand Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in 1971.
The remarkable achievement led to Mr Balding being recognized as the top trainer in the same year.
In a touching message shared on social media, presenter Clare, 54, stated: ‘My Dad was truly unique. He was brave, humorous, and charismatic, a well-rounded athlete, an excellent coach, and a remarkable rider.’
He had a deep affection for his dogs, his horses, and his family – likely in that sequence.
He revealed to me his enthusiasm for sports and encouraged me to be courageous enough to pursue a dream, no matter how unattainable it appeared. We will greatly miss him.
Supporters such as Alan Carr, Zoe Ball, Claudia Winkleman, and Georgia Toffolo all offered the host their sympathies.
Mr Balding was recognized for nurturing successful horses for the lateQueen Elizabeth II, particularly winning the 1974 Musidora Stakes at York with Escorial.
In the 1990s, his top horse was Jeff Smith’s Lochsong, who received the title of Cartier Horse of the Year in 1993.
Earlier on Friday, Park House Stables, where Mr. Balding managed for many years, announced his passing in a statement: ‘We are very sorry to inform you that Ian Balding has passed away.’
An exceptional father figure, a highly accomplished horse racing instructor, and an outstanding athlete.
He is going to be deeply missed by everyone at Park House.
The horse barn posted an image featuring Mr Balding along with his grandchildren, Jonno, Toby, and Flora.
The instructor is also survived by his wife Emma, along with their two children, Clare and Andrew.
The instructor was born in New Jersey in 1938 and lived in the United States for the first eight years of his life before his family moved back to Britain.
Mr. Balding achieved 65 victories throughout his career, yet his most notable success came when he competed as an amateur rider in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham in 1963.
He continued to ride his own horse called Ross Poldark in the Foxhunter Chase, which took place over the Grand National hurdles at Aintree in 1985, when he was 46 years old.
He left the sport in 2002 and passed on the leadership of his racing legacy, located at Park House Stables in Kingsclere, Hampshire, to his son Andrew.
Andrew Balding has also achieved several wins at the Group and Grade 1 levels since.
Ms. Balding’s daughter, Clare, has become a prominent figure in sports broadcasting for the BBC and Channel 4, but she first entered the world of horse racing as a presenter for the Royal Ascot highlights in 1995.
She also participated in competitive riding, securing victory in the KJ Pike & Sons Celebrity Charity Flat Race at Wincanton in 1997 aboard her father’s horse Pay Homage.
Jockey Martin Dwyer described Mr Balding as ‘like a second father’.
He said: “It’s truly unfortunate, Ian was an exceptional individual. He had a deep passion for sports and was an outstanding rider. I am deeply grateful to Ian and his family for their contributions to me and many others, not only jockeys.”
He provided significant support to many individuals and assisted them in their professional journeys; I am deeply thankful to have been part of that.
He welcomed me as a dirty-faced boy from Liverpool and molded me into the person I am today. I was somewhat rough at first when I arrived, but he taught me many things about riding, racing, and life in general.
I was merely 16 years old when I first visited, he was an outstanding individual who was cherished and held in high regard by numerous people.
I served as an apprentice under Ian and achieved my initial victories for him, and we experienced significant success that carried on when Andrew assumed control.
The Balding family felt like a second family to me. I’m not certain if that’s common nowadays since racing has evolved and become much more fast-paced, but Ian always made time for people.
Messages of condolence for Mr. Balding have started to come in, with BBC sports commentator Gabby Logan stating: ‘Sending love to you all’.
Messages of tribute to Mr. Balding have started to come in, with BBC sports presenter Gabby Logan writing
Irish sports commentator Rachel Wyse commented: ‘RIP Ian’.
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