Background
He was born in the United States where his father, Gerald Barnard Balding, Senior, ran a polo team
He was born in the United States where his father, Gerald Barnard Balding, Senior, ran a polo team
The family returned to the United Kingdom in 1945 and Toby was educated at Marlborough College.
He first began training in 1956, aged 19, and his first winners were Bower Chalk at Ascot Racecourse on the flat and The Quiet Manitoba at Wincanton Racecourse over jumps. Cool Ground gave him with a Cheltenham Gold Cup victory. Balding was instrumental in the careers of jockeys Adrian Maguire and Tony McCoy, providing them both with their first jobs in England.
He was based at Fyfield near Andover, Hampshire and finally retired on the final day of the 2004 flat season, having trained over 2,000 winners.
Toby Balding died on 25 September 2014, two days after his 78th birthday. Grand National Cheltenham Gold Cup Champion Hurdle.
On 12 December 2006 he was elected an Honorary Member of the Jockey Club and was for a time a Director of the British Horseracing Authority He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in the 2011 New Year Honours for services to horse racing.
