Continuing Kingsclere’s Success
Andrew became the licensed trainer at Kingsclere in 2003, when he succeeded his father Ian. His training career got off to a perfect start when he saddled Casual Look to win the 2003 Epsom Oaks and since then the yard has gone from strength to strength, increasing in both size and quality.
Many more domestic Group winners have followed from star performers such as Passing Glance, Tullius, Blond Me, Horseplay and Beat The Bank, whilst Group 1 wins have come courtesy of Elm Park in the Racing Post Trophy and Here Comes When in the Sussex Stakes, Donjuan Triumphant in the British Champions Sprint and Kameko in the Futurity Trophy. In 2020 Andrew achieved his second Classic success when Kameko won the Qipco 2,000 Guineas, whilst Alcohol Free capped off an excellent season with victory in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes. Alcohol Free added two further Group 1 wins in 2021, taking the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood. Andrew was leading trainer at the Qatar Goodwood Festival and runner-up trainer at Royal Ascot.
Andrew finished second in the British Trainer’s Championship for 2021, his horses having amassed over £4.4m in UK prize money with a further £1.1m earned abroad. He followed this up with another strong season in 2022, finishing fourth in the Championship with a personal best of nearly £4.6m prize money won domestically, and highlights including Alcohol Free’s Group 1 July Cup success and Chaldean winning the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes.
2023 saw Andrew win his third Classic when Chaldean landed the 2,000 Guineas, and nearly £4.5 million in UK prize money resulted in a third place finish in the Trainers Championship.
Bold International Campaigns
Andrew has proven to be a skilled campaigner of horses internationally, winning races at Group level in France, Germany, Dubai, Hong Kong, Canada, Turkey and Australia.
Particular international highlights have been the exploits of Phoenix Reach, winner of the Canadian International, Hong Kong Vase and Dubai Sheema Classic, and more recently Side Glance, winner of the Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington and placed in the Woodbine Mile, Dubai World Cup, Arlington Million, United Nations Stakes and Cox Plate.
In 2017 Blond Me won the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor at Woodbine in Canada whilst in 2019 Shadn took the Group 2 Criterium de Maisons-Lafitte.
Early in 2021 Andrew travelled Berkshire Rocco to Doha to finish second in H.H. The Amir’s Trophy whilst on the same day Spanish Mission was runner-up in the Red Sea Turf Handicap in Riyadh and Bangkok placed in the Saudi Cup on the same card, the trio earning a total of over £820,000 in prize money for their connections. Later in the year Spanish Mission ran a great race to be third in the Melbourne Cup, winning over £300,000.
Building A Lasting Legacy
Andrew comes from a family steeped in racing. His great-grandfather Aubrey Hastings was the trainer of four Grand National winners whilst his grandfathers Gerald Balding and Peter Hastings-Bass both trained with great success.
As well as his father Ian, Andrew’s uncles Toby Balding and William Huntingdon have trained winners at the highest level.
Andrew grew up at Kingsclere with his sister Clare (the presenter, writer and broadcaster), and now lives at Park House with his wife Anna Lisa and his children Jonno, Toby and Flora. He is committed to continuing the yard’s function as not only a top-class training establishment but also a thriving and happy community.
Constantly striving to improve the facilities and conditions for both horses and humans, Andrew aims to continue the work of his predecessors in building a lasting legacy here for generations to come.
2023 Season
We were lucky to have another great season in 2023, finishing third in the Trainers Championship with almost £4.8 million in prize money world-wide and 147 winners, which included a Classic with Chaldean
147
Wins
2023
402
Places
2023
984
Runs
2023