Rejuvenated Lanigan ready to roll following return to headquarters

David Lanigan says returning to Newmarket to carry on his training career where he left off at headquarters is "like coming home".

The 41-year-old has recently returned, and in some style, as the first tenant of the luxurious Rathmoy Stables on Hamilton Road, a facility that boasts a glass viewing gallery over brand new premises that cost more than £1 million to develop.

He said: "We've got all the toys you want here. We had a viewing balcony in Lambourn, and I wouldn't be without one now, and we also have an equine pool, spa and treadmill."

Although he trained more than 100 winners, including Royal Ascot scorer Interception, during his five years at Kingsdown Stables in Lambourn, Lanigan is glad to be back in familiar haunts, where he was assistant to the late Sir Henry Cecil for many years before setting out on his own at nearby Revida Place in 2007.

He continued: "We enjoyed our time in Lambourn but this is like coming home and I feel ten years younger. All people have said since we've returned is 'welcome back', and it's like being part of a family again. You really need to be in Newmarket for all sorts of reasons. For instance, most of my owners would want to have runners here and go to the sales, which makes it difficult elsewhere."

Although he may no longer have Kingsdown owner Bjorn Nielsen on the roster, Lanigan still has the likes of the Niarchos family and Saif Ali behind him, as well as prolific US owner Ken Ramsey. The 78-box yard is full of talent, including Mitchum Swagger, who could be a big player at Group level this term.

On the end of his association with Nielsen, Lanigan said: "There was no fallout, it was just that after Interception won the Wokingham we had a chat as we had just a year left on our contract. Bjorn indicated he wanted to rent the yard out after that, so we looked at coming back to Newmarket where we enjoyed it before."

Before heading to Berkshire, Lanigan trained Meeznah to win the Group 2 Park Stakes for owner Saif Ali, who owns or part-owns 15 juveniles at Rathmoy.

Lanigan said: "Saif Ali has been a big supporter and it's nice to have back many of the owners we had before. There's a buzz about the place and I can't wait to get going. Hopefully we'll have our first runner in April."