Fergal O’Brien success pays off as planners give green light to move into new stables
FERGAL O’BRIEN has been give the go-ahead to move to purpose-built stables.
The 46-year-old has been renting facilities from his old boss Nigel Twiston-Davies for the last four years.
With the 53-box yard bursting at the seams, the move to a new base little more than five miles away near Kim Bailey’s stables will make his life much easier.
Planners yesterday gave their approval for the plans at a farm owned by former Southampton Football Club chairman Rupert Lowe at Withington near Kim Bailey’s yard.
Wheels are now in motion to build the state-of-the-art training base with room for 80 horses, three gallops, horsewalkers, staff accommodation and offices.
O’Brien said: “The farm buildings are already there so it’s just a case of doing the floors and putting internal stables in. They’re just like big Meccano sets so they can go up in the space of a week.
BIG BUCK'S RULES Head down memory lane with the latest edition of our Sun Racing Stayers' Hurdle reflections
“The big thing is putting the gallops in – you’ve got to get that right.
“We’ve had a few gallops people in to give us quotes. Now we need to get the best package together and get going as quickly as we can.
“We’ve got a nice long lease so it gives us a bit of stability. It is exciting times.”
Ex-jockey Willy Twiston-Davies – younger brother of Sam – is expected to use the stables for his bloodstock and pre-training business when O’Brien moves to his new base in the summer.
O’Brien has notched up 60 winners in each of the last two seasons. He finished 13th in the trainers’ table last term.
His Master Dee – owned by Paul and Clare Rooney - is on course for the Grand National having been handed 10st 7lbs for the great Aintree race.
O’Brien said: “I think he’s made for it.”