Wedding celebrations something special for Balding

Toby Balding had lots of runners in the Grand National during his 48-year training career and won the race twice, but nothing could ever compare with what happened on the big day in 1989.

Not only did he end a 20-year wait to land the world’s greatest steeplechase for the second time, but he also mopped up two other prizes on the same Aintree card.

The former trainer, who retired in 2004, was first triumphant in 1969, with Highland Wedding.

Then, just six weeks before the 1989 renewal, Balding bought the 12-year-old Little Polveir for one of his patrons, Edward Harvey – and found another National hero on a memorable afternoon.

“It was one of those magic days,” said Balding. “We had three winners. Morley Street won for the first of his five consecutive years at Aintree in the novice hurdle, and Beech Road followed up his Champion Hurdle success by winning the Aintree Hurdle.

“I think it is still probably the biggest winning day a jumps trainer has had. It may still stand, prize-money wise.”

Little Polveir had already run once for his new connections before galloping to National glory.

“We bought him specifically for his owner’s son to ride in the Grand Military Gold Cup at Sandown, which he did, and was fourth on him,” Balding recalled.

“We also bought him because the previous year he had run in the National, when he and Tom Morgan had an argument at the last ditch and parted company.

“Tom went for a big one and Little Polveir said ’not me, mate’ and put down on him and got rid of him.

“He had nailed-on form. He had won a Scottish National and had been arguably unlucky in the 1988 Grand National. He was also always a spring horse.

“Come the day he was in screaming form, and a supreme horseman in Jimmy Frost rode him.”

Highland Wedding was also 12 when he won the National, at the third attempt.

Balding recalled: “He ran in it three times – 1966, 1968 and 1969. I thought he would win it the first time as he came there and took it up at the last ditch, and usually in any four-mile race, when he did that he kept going and won.

“He didn’t, and when he pulled up he was terribly distressed. We wondered why, but the reason quickly became apparent.

“In my wisdom I had run him in steel plates. One of them had totally twisted on its axis and he had run the last half-mile with the equivalent of a plough on his hind leg.

“Then he got a bit of an injury and he rather lost his form, but the year he won it he went there in absolutely cracking form. He had won three on the trot prior to the race.

“He got ’married’ to an extremely high-class horseman/jockey in E P Harty, and we went there full of confidence.

“He was actually called a faller by Michael O’Hehir, but fortunately I had always been able to see him quite well, even a long way out.

“The owner thought he’d gone, but I told him it wasn’t us down. It was gobsmacking, as he won quite easily.”

Balding also went close with Dozo, who was fourth to Gay Trip in 1970, Lucky Vane, fourth behind Hallo Dandy in 1984, and Romany King, runner-up to Party Politics in 1992.

“Dozo ran a great race in it the year after Highland Wedding,” he said. “He had won the Topham and truthfully, if he hadn’t taken Gay Trip on as early as he did – which he had to if he was to have a winning chance – he would have been second. He didn’t last home, but ran a blinder.

“In 1992, I criticised Guesty (Richard Guest) for coming a mile and a half too soon, but the horse had jumped himself there.

“He was another horse for whom it was the absolute maximum of his stamina limit. Lucky Vane was also fourth in a race that holds so many great memories.”

Romany King was to be Balding’s last runner when he took part in the void race of 1993.

“He was third to Esha Ness in the year when all the Irish boys had a good hunt round in the abandoned race,” he added.

As for this year’s renewal, Balding believes the 2006 winner Numbersixvalverde must go close again.

“I thought last year’s winner ran a very adequate race in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse,” he said.

“He stayed on well and wasn’t knocked about on what was awful ground. He’ll go there with a great chance.”

Although now 70, Balding is still very much involved in racing. He is one of the two ’industry’ directors on the new British Horseracing Authority, and sits on the councils of the Racehorse Owners’ Association, Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association and National Trainers’ Federation.