Appleby takes next step in training career with yard purchase

Mick Appleby has taken an important step in furthering his training career by buying his own yard and he could move into his new place soon.

Appleby, who was head lad for Roger Curtis and then Andrew Balding before taking up training himself, has sent out more than 350 winners from his current base near Newark in Nottinghamshire since taking out a licence in 2010.

But he has been negotiating to take on a former polo yard, a 100-acre site in Langham, just outside Oakham in Rutland.

"It has completed," the trainer said. "The deal went through on Friday, it’s signed, sealed and paid for. But there’s a lot of work to do.

"There are two barns to put up, though that won't take long as they come ready-built. But we have got to get the gallops down. If we get good weather it could take three or four weeks, if we get bad weather it could take until next year."

Explaining the reasons behind the move, Appleby said: "There will be 96 boxes and we could put more barns up. It will have grass gallops, which we don't have now. And it will be great to have my own place as I only rent where I am now."