DYNASTIES.

​It occurs in other sports, of course, though to a lesser degree, that sons will follow in the footsteps of their fathers, daughters, too, but not to the extent that horse racing spawns dynasties of jockeys, trainers and occasionally owners, also. Ireland, in particular, has produced dynasties that seem to go back before 1752 when Mr. Blake raced Mr. O’Callaghan from the church at Buttevant to the spire of St.Leger church.
It would be fascinating if a member of the Moore family, or Carberry, Walsh or Dreaper, for that matter, featured on ‘Who Do You Think You Are’, to see how the various racing dynasties link-up through the centuries. As it was when Nina Carberry married into the Walsh family, the history of racing in Ireland must be founded on similar unions. Perhaps someone should give the producers of the programme – I dare say there is an Irish version – a nudge in the direction of Ruby Walsh, though to read his and other autobiographies it is clear the Irish seem to have a deeper understanding of family lineage than the British.
We, the British, have are own Moore clan, with Gary following in the footsteps of Charlie and giving to the sport a champion flat and two fine National Hunt jockeys. The daughter, too, contributes to the Moore reputation, being both an amateur jockey and racing commentator. It seems quite certain that the Pipes are on the way to laying down the foundations of a their own dynasty, the Johnstons, too. In fact, as long as financial costs in setting-up as a trainer remain prohibitive more and more dynasties will be founded, it being easier to take over the licence from the old man or mother than to start from scratch.
For no reason that makes sense I have always had a fondness for the Baldings of Kingsclere, particularly Ian, a flat race trainer not quite of the same mould as his contemporaries. Although from day one he was in the top rank of flat trainers, he never lost his passion for riding and continued competing in point-to-points well into his forties and even rode in the Aintree Foxhunters and had a burning ambition to ride in the Grand National. I would imagine he was often advised by his senior owners, as well as his wife, I suspect, that it might be the act of a wise man to find a less dangerous pastime. But horses were always his life and while at Cambridge he would ride in races as an amateur for his brother after playing rugby for his college in the morning. I very much doubt if he, or any of the Balding clan, can go half-hearted into any activity, except, perhaps, academic study!
Although he would hold cheap the accolade, I would describe Ian Balding, alongside his brother Toby, as being one of the great men of the British turf. He trained one of the greatest flat horses of my lifetime in Mill Reef, a horse whose career performances make him a far superior racehorse than either Dancing Brave or Sea The Stars, even if the younger generation seem never to consider him for such a position in the pantheon of great horses.
His father, Gerald, was a trainer of note, even if he did not ascend the ladder of success achieved by both his sons. Ian Balding was also related to Peter Hastings-Bass, from whom he inherited the famous racing yard at Kingsclere founded by John Porter, the trainer of 7 Derby winners, and which should have a preservation order placed on it as a fine representation of how a racing yard was built and operated in the days of yore.
Most trainers, and this is not a criticism, merely an observation, even the great and highly successful, run their stables as a business and adhere to the rules laid down by the powers-that-be whilst rarely thinking about the sport as a whole. Ian, and his brother Toby, were cut from a different cloth and to this day, I would imagine, Ian Balding has a concern for the sport that goes beyond self. For most of his training career he was a member of the Trainers’ Federation and was on the wages committee and was, and perhaps is, a director of Salisbury racecourse. And as his son continues to do, he built a reputation for Kingsclere as an apprentice academy, producing jockey after jockey year after year.
Many, during racing’s long history, have done as much as Ian Balding for the good of the sport, few, though, have done more. If he had given The Queen a Derby winner he might be Sir Ian Balding by now, though personally, even though by his own admission he was a bit of a bounder in his youth, he deserves the honour anyway, if only for his undying commitment and enthusiasm for both the sport and the horse.
Oh, and perhaps his greatest achievement in a life of achievement – he gave us Clare, a great ambassador for the sport and the best racing presenter to grace our televisions.