Nigel Balmer

Nigel Balmer

Article by Alan Trout

Having ridden six winners in apprentice races on the Flat in the early 1970s, Wiliam Nigel Balmer – known by his second Christian name – turned his attention to the National Hunt scene and recorded a further 44 victories between 1976 and 1982. 

Born on October 20, 1955, he served his apprenticeship with Grand National-winning trainer Denys Smith and had his first success at Hamilton Park on April 28, 1972, when Lucky Bird, trained by his boss, came with a strong late run to overhaul Rusty Hope and win the Auchinrath Apprentice Handicap by a short head. 

Despite having nearly 30 rides that season, Nigel did not add to his total, but on June 9, 1973 he registered his second win when Action Station was successful in the Bass, Charrington Apprentices’ Handicap at Haydock Park, holding off the challenge of John Lowe on the favourite Mayday Melody by a length and a half. Denys Smith was again the trainer and he supplied Nigel with his second win of that season when Flintham beat Coignafern by the same margin in the Alco-Slim Apprentice Handicap at York on September 6. 

The 1974 season was an even better one for Nigel with three wins, starting with Wee Sovereign, who led all the way to land the Castlehill Apprentice Handicap at Ayr on April 22. Then it was back to a win on Flintham when the five-year-old beat two rivals in the Winwick Apprentice Stakes at Haydock on July 6. Nigel’s last win on the Flat came at Ayr on August 18, when Wee Sovereign led all the way and held off the challenge of Star Poem to take the Monkton Apprentice Handicap by a head.

His first effort over jumps was at Teesside Park on December 8, 1975, when Ballyrobin was unplaced in the Danby Novices’ Hurdle. The following month, on January 16, came his first success on Tanora, trained by Denys Smith, taking the lead at the last flight and beating Paddy Broderick on The Last Light by two and a half lengths in the Melton Handicap Hurdle at Newcastle. 

Thereafter it was a case of a few wins each season, achieving a best score of nine in the 1979/80 campaign. Although Denys Smith supplied some of his winners, other northern trainers such as David Barron and former jockey Graham Lockerbie were also helpful. 

Nigel’s first eleven wins were over hurdles, but the nine-year-old Scorton Boy gave him one of his biggest victories when landing the Arthur Challenge Cup Handicap Chase at Ayr on March 11, 1978, beating tommy Stack on Brown Barman by a head.

Catterick Bridge was the scene of his last win when Gill Beck had a comfortable victory in the Corner House Novices’ Chase on April 22, 1982, scoring by ten lengths. 

Naval Whistler was Nigel’s final ride when fifth of seven runners in the Grange Selling Handicap Hurdle at Wetherby on Whit Monday, May 31, 1982. 

Nigel Balmer’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Lucky Bird, Hamilton Park, April 28, 1972

2. Action Station, Haydock Park, June 9, 1973

3. Flintham, York, September 6, 1973

4. Wee Sovereign, Ayr, April 12, 1974

5. Flintham, Haydock Park, July 6, 1974

6. Wee Sovereign, Ayr, August 18, 1974

7. Tanora, Newcastle, January 16, 1976

8. Sounds Good, Newcastle, February 4, 1976

9. Sounds Good, Ayr, April 10, 1976

10. San Palestino, Hexham, May 31, 1976 

11. Allez Stanwick, Sedgefield, November 2, 1976

12. Tanora, Catterick Bridge, December 2, 1976

13. Naval Whistler, Market Rasen, December 27, 1976

14. High Drama, Catterick Bridge, January 1, 1977

15. Sky Tudor, Sedgefield, March 15, 1977

16. Sky Tudor, Perth, April 19, 1977

17. Sky Tudor, Kelso, April 28, 1977

18. Scorton Boy, Ayr, March 11, 1978

19. Montanello, Kelso, March 22, 1978

20. Regal Tudor, Hexham, May 10, 1978

21. Saffron Cake, Kelso, November 22, 1978

22. Saffron Cake, Ayr, December 7, 1978

23. Black Market, Market Rasen, December 26, 1978

24. Black Marker,, Market Rasen, March 3, 1979

25. River Sirene, Carlisle, April 16, 1979

26. Silberto, Southwell, May 26, 1979

27. Hallez-Loup, Southwell, November 1, 1979

28. Chennel Lane, Teesside Park, November 27, 1979

29. Chennel Lane, Wetherby, December 4, 1979

30. Burtree, Newcastle, December 29, 1979

31. River Sirene, Catterick Bridge, January 18, 1980

32. Chennel Lane, Ayr, January 25, 1980

33. The Go-Boy, Ayr, January 26, 1980

34. Red Darling, Southwell, April 3, 1980

35. River Sirene, Carlisle, April 7, 1980

36. Corn Belle, Southwell, September 15, 1980

37. Fine Fellow, Bangor-on-Dee, September 20, 1980

38. Corn Belle, Sedgefield, September 23, 1980

39. Corn Belle, Sedgefield, September 30, 1980

40. Crawfordjohn, Carlisle, December 11, 1980

41. Splendid Again, Sedgefield, December 12, 1980

42. River Sirene, Hexham, May 9, 1981

43. Colleague, Perth, May 21, 1981

44 Top Sword, Market Rasen, August 3, 1981

45. Gaelic Harp, Market Rasen, August 3 , 1981

46. Young Import, Hereford, August 22, 1981

47. Milan Major, Cartmel, August 29, 1981

48. Strike Again, Carlisle, September 15, 1981

49. Gill Beck, Sedgefield, September 29, 1981

50. Gill Beck, Catterick Bridge, April 22, 1982