There is a change trainers at the Upper Herdswick Farm training establishment a few hundred yards east of Barbury Castle on the edge of the Marlborough Downs. National Hunt trainer Neil Young has bought the 284 acres of downland and is moving from Newmarket to train there.
Neil King’s move comes after his most successful season to date with 25 winners which have included the promising horses Saffron Wells, Zeroeshadesofgrey and Delgany Demon.
King is from a family of Suffolk farmers and started his career as pupil assistant to Nicky Henderson at Lambourn. He then ran a hunting livery yard and later bought the Middle and Lower yards at St Gratien Stables, Newmarket – and started training under rules there in 2003.
He has concentrated on National Hunt horses, but also has a very good strike rate on the flat.
Commenting on his move to Wiltshire, he said: “Newmarket has been an excellent place to train from, but it’s been my long held ambition to own land and private facilities. Upper Herdswick has exceptional gallops to train jumpers from it has one of the best schooling grounds in the country and plenty of turnout for horses.”
“It will be a busy summer refurbishing the buildings, as well as installing a new polytrack gallop and spa facility.”
Most of Neil King’s staff are moving with him – including stable jockey Trevor Whelan. His new facilities will enable King to increase the number of quality horses he can train.
King takes over the yard from Jim Old who has been training racehorses for 40 years and has 550 winners to his credit. He had been renting Upper Herdswick for 20 years.
It is where Old prepared Collier Bay to win the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and the Irish Champion Hurdle in 1996. He is now relocating to the Cotswolds to continue training.
Upper Herdswick Farm was put on the market for £2.6million. And a yard swap was brokered by Windsor Clive International – the chartered surveyors specialising in equestrian property who are based between Aldbourne and Ramsbury.
The St Gatien Stables at Newmarket have been bought by the racehorse owner Wally Sturt who was Jim Old’s landlord at Upper Herdswick. Windsor Clive International are dealing with the letting of the Newmarket stables: info@windsorclive.co.uk
