One of the most established thoroughbred horse trainers in the United Kingdom.
Andrew Matthews Balding comes from a very privileged background. Born in 1972, he attended a boys’ preparatory school and Radley College. He comes from a horse racing background, with his grandfathers, uncles, and father being elite horse trainers, as well as having connections with royalty.
In many respects they are a horse racing dynasty.
His father, Ian, paved the way when purchasing Park House Stables, Kingsclere, Hampshire, at the age of 26.
Andrew still trains at this location. However, he didn’t just work for his father, but for a number of respected trainers in both Flat and National Hunt racing. These included Nigel Twiston-Davies and his uncle, Toby Balding, while one of his longer opportunities came with Lynda and Jack Ramsden, based in Yorkshire. In addition, he worked overseas in California and Australia. Leading up to working at Kingsclere, he was assistant to his father from 1999. He gained his trainer’s licence in January 2003, succeeding his father. It would be a year to remember, as he won the Epsom Oaks with Casual Look. In 2020, he would achieve his second Classic, with Kameko winning the QIPCO 2000 Guineas.
In 2023, Chaldean made it three Classics when landing the 2000 Guineas.
To add to his accolades, he was runner-up in the British Trainers’ Championship in 2021.
The stable has gone from strength to strength, with almost 200 winners in one season and prize money exceeding £8.5 million. His international racing successes have seen him win Group 1 races in France, Germany, the USA, Dubai, Hong Kong, Canada, Turkey, and Australia.
Kingsclere is one of the best-equipped and most beautiful private stables in the country. The yard has over 200 boxes, split into nine separate yards, and a mix of turf and all-weather gallops. Additionally, they have an equine swimming pool, three sets of starting stalls, high-speed treadmills, a digital weighbridge, three horse boxes, and a variety of grazing paddocks.
Andrew Balding has trained over 2,000 winners, with around 100 Pattern-class victories.
He is married with three children.
His sister, Clare, is one of the most recognisable broadcasters in the UK. In fact, she won a BAFTA and has been honoured with a CBE for services to broadcasting and diversity.
An exceptional trainer.
