Bibliography
- The Racing Post
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Ian Balding is a retired British horse trainer. He is the son of the polo player and racehorse trainer Gerald Matthews Balding and the younger brother of trainer Toby Balding. Ian Balding was born in the US, but his family returned to the UK in 1945. He was educated at Marlborough College and Millfield school in Somerset. He went up to Christ's College, Cambridge, in 1959 to read Rural Estate Management, where he played Rugby for the University team, gaining his Blue in 1961 at full back. He started training in 1964. Kingsclere became his home at the age of 26 and it is here that earned his reputation as an internationally respected trainer.
Petite Etoile was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. In a career which lasted from June 1958 until September 1961 she won fourteen of her nineteen races and finished second in the other five. After showing promising, but unexceptional form in 1958, she improved to be the British Horse of the Year in 1959, winning all six of her races including the Classic 1000 Guineas and Epsom Oaks. She remained in training for two further seasons, winning major races including consecutive runnings of the Coronation Cup.
Wollow was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from summer 1975 to October 1976 he ran eleven times and won nine races. In 1975 he was rated the best two-year-old in Britain by a margin of five pounds and the following spring he won the Classic 2000 Guineas. He was undefeated in six races when starting favourite for the 1976 Epsom Derby but finished unplaced. Wollow won three more important races before his retirement later that year. He made little impact at stud and was exported to Japan in 1981.
Right Tack (1966–1985) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from June 1968 to October 1969 he ran twelve times, winning eight races and finishing second three times. As a two-year-old he won his last five races included the Middle Park Stakes and was rated the second-best British colt of his generation. In the following year he became the first horse to win both the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and the Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh. After being retired from racing he stood as a breeding stallion in Ireland and Australia.
Nebbiolo (1974–1980) was a British-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from May 1976 to July 1977 he ran twelve times and won six races. He won five times as a two-year-old including the Curragh Stakes in Ireland and the Gimcrack Stakes in England. In the following year he recorded his most important victory when he defeated The Minstrel in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. After failing to win in three subsequent races he was retired to stud where he showed considerable promise before his death in 1980.
Rockfel was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare, best known for winning two Classics in 1938. In a career which lasted from July 1937 until May 1939 she ran thirteen times and won eight races. Rockfel began her career at the lowest level, being beaten in a selling race, but improved to become recognised as one of the best British racemares of the 20th century. In 1938 she was the dominant three-year-old in England, winning the 1000 Guineas over one mile at Newmarket and the Oaks over one and a half miles at Epsom. In the autumn she defeated colts in the Champion Stakes and the Aintree Derby and was retired after winning her only race as a four-year-old. She produced one foal before dying in November 1941.
Abermaid was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare who won the classic 1000 Guineas in 1962. In a racing career lasting from the spring of 1961 until July 1962, the filly ran eight times and won four races. As a two-year-old in 1961, Abermaid was unbeaten in three races including the New Stakes at Royal Ascot. After running poorly on her three-year-old debut she recorded an upset win in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket Racecourse in May. She was placed in her three remaining races before being retired to stud where she had some success as a broodmare.
Never So Bold was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was a specialist sprinter who recorded all his important wins at distances between five and six and a half furlongs. After finishing unplaced in his only start as a two-year-old he showed good, but unexceptional form in handicaps the following season. In 1984 he improved to become a top-class performer, winning the Prix de la Porte Maillot and the Prix Maurice de Gheest in France and the Diadem Stakes in England. He made further improvement to become recognised as the best sprinter in Europe in 1985, winning the Temple Stakes, King's Stand Stakes, July Cup and William Hill Sprint Championship. After a poor run in the Breeders' Cup Mile he was retired to stud where he had limited success as a sire of winners.
Sharpen Up was British racehorse and sire. He was one of the leading European two-year-olds of his generation, winning all five of his races including the Seaton Delaval Stakes and the Middle Park Stakes. He failed to win in three starts in 1972 and was retired to stud. He became a highly successful breeding stallion in both Europe and North America. Sharpen Up died in 1992.
Gildoran was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and stallion. A specialist stayer he won the Ascot Gold Cup in 1984 and 1985. His other wins included the Sagaro Stakes and the Goodwood Cup. In all, he won seven races in a twenty-two race career which lasted from 1983 until 1985, during which he showed an aptitude for extreme distances and fast ground. He made little impact at stud.
Tromos was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In the autumn of 1978 he won the Clarence House Stakes by thirteen lengths and the Dewhurst Stakes by three. As a result of these performances he was rated the best two-year-old racehorse in Europe by both the independent Timeform organisation and the official International Classification. After being beaten in the Craven Stakes on his first run in 1979 he suffered from ill health and did not race again in Europe. He returned to racing as a four-year-old in the United States but was well beaten in both his races. Tromos was then retired to stud, but died only two years later.
Mrs McArdy was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for winning the classic 1000 Guineas in 1977. She won four minor races as a two-year-old in 1977 before emerging as a top-class performer in the following year. As a three-year-old, she won the Tote Free Handicap before winning the Guineas as a 16/1 outsider. She went on to win the Fen Ditton Stakes when conceding weight to colts and older horses and then took the Strensall Stakes. She was exported to race in the United States but failed to reproduce her European form. After her retirement from racing, she had some success as a broodmare.
Gunner B was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a racing career which lasted from May 1975 until October 1978 he contested thirty-three races, winning fourteen times, finishing second five times and third seven times. Originally trained in Yorkshire, he won twice as a two-year-old in 1975 before becoming a highly successful handicapper in the following season, when he won the Cecil Frail Handicap, Andy Capp Handicap and the Doonside Cup. He won three races in 1977 including the Group Three Diomed Stakes but appeared to have been well-exposed as a tough, consistent horse who was some way below the best. After joining the stable of Henry Cecil in 1978, however, he emerged as a genuinely top-class horse winning the Earl of Sefton Stakes, Brigadier Gerard Stakes, Prince of Wales's Stakes, Eclipse Stakes and Valdoe Stakes as well as finishing second in the Benson and Hedges Gold Cup and third in the Champion Stakes. After his retirement from racing, he became a very successful sire of National Hunt horses. He died in 2003 at the age of thirty.
Shangamuzo was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire best known for winning the Ascot Gold Cup in 1978. A specialist stayer, he won eight of his thirty-four races, finished second nine times and third on five occasions.
Boldboy was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He raced for eight seasons in the 1970s and was one of the most popular and successful racehorses of his era. As a two-year-old he showed ability, but his ungovernable temperament led to him being gelded. In the following year he won the Greenham Stakes, Prix de la Porte Maillot, Diadem Stakes and Challenge Stakes. In 1974 he won the Lockinge Stakes and recorded the first of his four wins in the Abernant Stakes. After failing to win in 1975 he returned to form in 1976 to win the Abernant Stakes and the Sanyo Stakes. He reached his peak in 1977, when he repeated his previous wins in the Abernant Stakes, Sanyo Stakes and Challenge Stakes as well as taking the Vernons Sprint Cup. He won a fourth Abernant Stakes in 1978 and was retired in the following year. Apart from his wins he was placed in many important races but, as a gelding, was unable to compete in European Group One events under the rules which prevailed at the time.
Ragstone (1970–1978) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. A specialist stayer, he was unplaced in his only run as a two-year-old but won all four of his races in 1973. When moved up in class as a four-year-old he won the Aston Park Stakes and the Henry II Stakes before taking Britain's premier long distance race, the Ascot Gold Cup. After seven successive wins he was beaten in his next race and retired to stud. He showed some promise as a breeding stallion before dying at the age of eight.
Easter Sun was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In his first three seasons he showed good form in handicap races but appeared to be well below top class. In 1982, at the age of five, he showed remarkable improvement and won the Aston Park Stakes before recording his biggest win in the Coronation Cup. He never won again but was placed in several good races before being retired at the end of the 1983 season. He made no impact as a breeding stallion in a brief stud career.
Firdaussi was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He showed very good form as a two-year-old in 1931 when he won three of his five races including the Dewhurst Stakes. In the following year his progress was interrupted by illness in spring but he won his last four races, taking the Gordon Stakes before recording his biggest win in the St Leger and then defeating top-class older horses in the Jockey Club Stakes. He ran consistently as a four-year-old in 1933 but won only one minor race. Apart from his victories, Firdaussi was placed in the Eclipse Stakes (twice), Greenham Stakes, Lingfield Derby Trial and Great Jubilee Handicap. After his retirement from racing Firdaussi stood as a breeding stallion in Britain, France and Ireland, but had limited success as a sire of winners.
Defoe, was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. After winning one minor race as a juvenile he won four consecutive races in the following year including the Glasgow Stakes and Geoffrey Freer Stakes. In 2018 he won the John Porter Stakes and Jockey Club Stakes but was gelded at the end of the year. As a five-year-old he recorded his first Group 1 victory when he took the Coronation Cup and followed up by winning the Hardwicke Stakes. He remained in training in 2020 but suffered a fatal injury in July of that year.
Regal Parade, is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. In a track career which lasted from January 2007 until October 2016 he contested 104 races, winning 13 times and being placed on 27 occasions. He won three minor races as a three-year-old in 2007 and improved in the following year to win the Buckingham Palace Stakes and the Ayr Gold Cup. In the next two years he showed top class form over sprint distances, taking the City Plate and Haydock Sprint Cup in 2009 and the Hackwood Stakes and Prix Maurice de Gheest in 2010. He remained in training until the age of twelve but never returned to the highest class and won only three minor races before being retired from racing,
References
1. https://www.racingpost.com/profile/horse/605379/matsunosuke
2. https://www.racingpost.com/profile/horse/88979/lon-isa
3. https://www.racingpost.com/profile/horse/65947/magic-ring