Andrew Balding - Kingsclere

Andrew Balding - Kingsclere

Andrew became the licensed trainer at Kingsclere in January 2003 when he succeeded his father Ian, to whom he had been assistant since 1999.

One of the best equipped and most beautiful private training establishments in the world, the facilities have been constantly updated and improved since the yard was originally built in the late 1860s.

The yard now contains 175 boxes, split between 7 areas, allowing horses to be housed in appropriate groupings and conditions.

Within the yard they have two lunge pits (one covered, one open), two covered horse walkers and a two furlong circular indoor ride, ensuring that horses can be exercised whatever the weather. There is also a digital weighbridge to monitor the weight of the horses.

The main gallops used on a daily basis are situated less than half a mile from the yard itself. Horses go to and from the gallops via purpose-built tracks and tree-lined avenues within the Park House estate.

Their artificial gallops include a four and a half furlong polytrack straight gallop, a five and a half furlong fibresand gallop, a four furlong circular woodchip gallop and a 3 furlong uphill woodchip gallop. In addition there are three separate grass gallops, a schooling field for the jumpers and a further 15 acres of grass for walking and trotting.

The web site includes details of horses in training, together with information on various syndicates they train for.

They provide a number of ownership options, including sole ownership, co-ownership, company ownership, leasing and racing clubs.

The Kingsclere Racing Club is designed to give members maximum involvement and enjoyment of racing with only a limited financial input. The club operates by leasing shares in horses bred by the Kingsclere Stud for each racing season, they have between 12 and 18 horses in training each season. There are 50 shares in each horse, with the business retaining 25 and the remaining 25 allocated to club members.