David Lanigan: I thought if we don't make US move now then we'd never do it

Whenever the British Flat turf season does begin, one name that will be missing from the training ranks is David Lanigan, who is swapping the green grass of Newmarket for the Bluegrass of Kentucky.

It is a decision that has been in the pipeline for months, with the 44-year-old and his family relocating to Lexington. Lanigan has always harboured ambitions of making the move Stateside, which will also mark a homecoming of sorts.

"When I finished college I worked there [in Kentucky] for five years for [Walmac International founder] J.T.L Jones," says Lanigan. "It was always something in the back of our minds that we wanted to do and my wife, Amy, is American.

"If I'd have renewed my lease this year I'd have been in for another five years and then I'd be getting on for 50 and the children are at the age where they're getting ready to switch schools so all those factors went into it."

Kentucky's potentially lucrative racing programme was another draw, and while assessing his career options Lanigan will see a lot of familiar faces once the move is complete.

"Lexington is another, bigger version of Newmarket," he adds. "There's the sales with Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton and every year I've gone out to the September sales and we've had American owners and I know an awful lot of people out there. Lexington is a little bit like going home for me. I thought if we didn't do it now we'd never do it."

Originally hailing from Fethard, in County Tipperary, Lanigan has always been around horses, be it at his parent's stud farm, or riding out for Vincent O'Brien and John Oxx among others. As well as his time in Kentucky, Lanigan spent five years as the late Sir Henry Cecil's assistant for his finishing school before striking out on his own at the end of 2007.

First based at Revida Place in Newmarket, Lanigan enjoyed immediate success, and in 2010 nearly had an Oaks winner with unfancied 25-1 shot Meeznah, who ran a mighty race off a mark of 85 to go down by a neck to Snow Fairy.

Meeznah: was a stable star for David Lanigan early in his careerCredit: Edward Whitaker

Group-race triumphs would follow for Meeznah the following year in the Lillie Langtry and Park Hill Stakes, while Lanigan moved training centres to Lambourn.