John Balding was born on July 15 1945, the son of Classic-winning jockey (1927 1,000 Guineas) and successful northern trainer Arthur Balding.
John made his race-riding debut on Hyanna in the Falmouth Handicap at Doncaster on May 20, 1961, finishing sixth of the seven runners.
His first winner was a notable one, aboard Pelso Lad, trained by his father, in the valuable Lord Hamilton of Dalzell Memorial Cup Nursery Handicap at Hamilton Park on September 25, 1961.
In the ‘Directory of the Turf’, John nominates Hamilton as his favourite racecourse, which comes as no surprise given the level of success he had there. Apart from gaining his first win at Hamilton in a prestigious race, he enjoyed early success on Ossio, winning twice at Hamilton in both 1962 and 1963, then winning twice more on him at Bogside in 1964. He also recorded doubles at Hamilton in May 1966 and May 1967 when a 5lb claimer.
On September 1, 1966, he married Joyce Bichan. They would go on to have three daughters, Joanne, Elizabeth and Claire.
Numerically, John’s most successful season was 1967, his last as an apprentice, with 14 wins. He was retained as his father’s stable jockey once his apprenticeship had ended.
The best horse he rode was Fortlin, trained by his father. In 1968 John rode him to win two minor two-year-old races at Hamilton and Ayr and then landed the Scottish Daily Express Stakes at Hamilton’s Saints and Sinners meeting on June 11.
John was a typical, journeyman rider who rarely achieved a double-figure score for a season. Steady but never spectacular, he hung up his boots and saddle in 1985.
He took over trainer’s licence from his father at Serlby Hall Stables, Bawtry, near Doncaster, on January 1,1987. Arthur Balding died later that year, aged 84.
John’s daughter Claire rode as an apprentice. She was often mistaken for the amateur rider and later TV presenter Clare Balding, who was active at the same time. Claire married jockey Jason Edmunds, who rode 89 winners, mostly for his father-in-law. Jason and Claire had a son, Lewis, who is now a successful jockey.
The best horse John trained was the giant sprinter Blyton Lad, who won ten races including the Listed Rous Stakes at Newmarket three years running (1990-1992) and back-to-back renewals of the Listed Remembrance Day Stakes at Doncaster in 1992 and 1993, ridden throughout his career by Stuart Webster.
Another good performer was Turn On The Style, who took John to rarefied heights when winning at the 2008 Dubai Carnival.
John Balding retired from training on February 12, 2020.
