John Balding latest to find training 'no longer viable' after long career

John Balding, who holds the distinction of having saddled the first British-trained winner at the Dubai World Cup Carnival, is retiring from the training ranks.

He joins a growing list of trainers who no longer find it viable and so will not be renewing his licence at the end of the month with his last runners likely to be at Chelmsford the day before.

Balding's imminent retirement brings to an end a training career which stretches back to 1987 and followed on from that of his father Arthur, a Classic-winning jockey, who had trained since 1930.

Balding, 74, said: "I've had a good go at it and had some great times with some good horses, but it's no longer viable. I've had some nice owners and some not so nice owners.

John Balding's career stats

"To be honest, if I hadn't had the family around me I couldn't have carried on as long as I have.

"The kids and the missus have been absolutely superb, but it's got to be done. I'm sure there will always be horses on the place though, and I'll keep going racing and following the riding careers of my grandchildren."

Landmark Nad Al Sheba winner Turn on the Style (left), seen here in action at LingfieldCredit: Mark Cranham

Balding rode winners before he trained and is the grandfather of successful apprentice Izzy Clifton and up-and-coming jockey Lewis Edmunds, whose parents Claire Balding and Jason Edmunds also rode successfully.

He has no immediate plans for his Mayflower Stables at Scrooby, near Doncaster, but is open to offers.

Balding added: "There's livery here and if anyone wants the yard for pre-training it's a lovely place and I've put in a great gallop. There's a chance Claire and Jason might do that, but I'm open to suggestions."

A specialist with sprinters, Balding enjoyed his best season in 2003 with 21 winners and has enjoyed around 250 in all, most notably Blyton Lad, a multiple Listed winner over 5f and fourth to Dayjur in the Temple Stakes.

Matty Tun (John Bramhill, black and white chequered colours): winning the Scottish Sprint Cup at Musselburgh in 2003Credit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Other multiple sprint winners he trained included Matty Tun and Singing Star but winners have been hard to come by in the last two years with just two last year and four in 2018 after 11 winners in 2017 with the stable's flagbearer Showboating winning five times for Balding .

However, the 2008 Nad Al Sheba success of Turn On The Style, ridden by Paul Mulrennan, was something of a landmark for a trainer who is something of a homeboy and has largely plied his trade at lower levels with cast-offs from other stables.

Balding, whose last runners are set to be You're Cool and Murqaab at Chelmsford next Thursday, recalled: "Turn On The Style had bags of ability and we'd won quite a few races with him, but he was a so-and-so at the stalls so we were taking a chance. They got him in eventually and he won easily."

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