Harty pays tribute to Toby Balding

Eddie Harty snr has hailed Toby Balding as "a colossus" after the former top trainer died at the age of 78.

Harty rode Highland Wedding to Grand National glory in 1969, the first of two triumphs in the great Aintree race for Balding, who also saddled two Champion Hurdle winners and a Cheltenham Gold Cup winner.

Harty told At The Races: "He brought confidence. He let you ride your own race.

"He was a very good schooler of horses - he schooled them quietly and let them learn their job.

"He loved his grandchildren and loved his family.

"He was a great human being.

"He was like my right arm - we were attached.

"We both loved the horses and both loved life. He was a colossus."

Reflecting upon Highland Wedding's National success, Harty said: "He never put a foot wrong, jumped with great confidence, always going within himself.

"When I jumped the last, he just sprinted for me. It was one of those magical moments."

One of the leading National Hunt riders throughout the 1990s was Adrian Maguire, who learned his trade under Balding's stewardship. Maguire was then launched into the big time when winning the Gold Cup on Balding's Cool Ground.

"It's very sad news and it came as a shock to me," said Maguire.

"He was a real gentleman and was a father figure to me and my wife, Sabrina, when we first moved to the UK. We remained very close friends.

"I was only 20 when I won the Gold Cup on Cool Ground. I'd just ridden out my claim and was still eligible to ride in conditionals' races. He didn't have to give me the ride, but he did. He was a great man and was great with people.

"Everyone loved him and people didn't just want a horse with Toby Balding because he was a great trainer, they wanted a horse with him just to be involved with him.

"He did it all. Only the best trainers win the big races on the Flat and over jumps but he did it. You could talk all day about his achievements but, most importantly, he'll be remembered as a kind, generous man."