Balding: Trainer of the great Mill Reef

Ian Balding came into training with a couple of big winners and he almost went out of the business with another.

Gunner Welburn, the ante-post favourite, led Friday's Welsh Grand National with three fences to jump but could not provide his master with a fitting finale and finished in third.

From 1 January, the name of Ian Balding will disappear from the licence of the famous Kingsclere stables to be replaced by that of his son, Andrew.

Although Balding will still be helping out, his official retirement marks the end of a 38-year spell in which the 64-year-old has become one of the leading dual purpose (Flat and National Hunt) trainers.

Balding was a rugby blue at Cambridge but as the son of a trainer and polo player, racing was his first love.

An accomplished amateur jockey, Balding moved to Kingsclere in 1964, where he became assistant trainer to Peter Hastings-Bass.

Three months later, Hastings-Bass died suddenly at the age of 43 and with the help of his former employer's family, Balding took over (he later married Hastings-Bass' daughter).

It was a case of being thrown in at the deep end but it did mean that Balding inherited a well-established set-up - and the winners soon flowed.

One of these was Silly Season, who provided Balding with an immediate Royal Ascot success.

Ian Balding

Born: 7 Nov, 1938 First winner: Atholl (1964) First big winner: Silly Season Coventry Stakes (1964) Best horses: Mill Reef, Selkirk, Lochsong Champion trainer: 1971 Most wins in a season: 67 (2002)

And it was not too long before the horse with whom Balding's name will always be linked came along - Mill Reef, one of the legends of Flat racing.

His year of glory was 1971, when he won the Derby, the Eclipse, the King George and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

He also set a record of six consecutive Group One victories, which fittingly was only broken this year by Rock of Gibraltar.

Other stable stars followed in subsequent years - QEII winner Selkirk and dual Prix de l'Abbaye champion Lochsong among the most notable, along with Mrs Penny, Glint of Gold and Forest Flower.

Balding also belongs to an elite club of trainers who have achieved success in both Flat and National Hunt racing.

Crystal Spirit was a winner of the Sun Alliance Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham in 1991.

Moor Lane was well-fancied for last season's Grand National, only to be balloted out days before the race.

Known for his fairness, loyalty and competitive spirit, Ian Balding has given much back to racing, including serving on numerous BHB and NTF committees.

He has gone out at the top, having enjoyed his best season yet in terms of winners.

And he passes on a stable, which has top-level aspirations in both Flat (with Classic potential in Rimrod and Casual Look) and National Hunt (Grand National hopes Moor Lane and Gunner Welburn).