New trainer at Lungo's old stable

The Dumfriesshire yard that produced over 640 winners including two at the Cheltenham festival and a Northumberland Plate for Len Lungo is set to have a new trainer's name above the door.

Iain Jardine, who rode as a conditional jockey for his landlord, is moving from his current base near Hawick and expects to be installed at the Hetland Hill complex at Carrutherstown on September 1.

The purpose-built stable, which boasts all-weather and grass gallops plus a schooling lane and indoor school, has been well maintained but unused since Lungo quit training in 2009.

Jardine, who turns 39 next week, said: "It's a fabulous opportunity and all my owners are coming with me. I have 14 horses at the moment but I'm looking to build the business up to around 30 and I'm heading for the sales shortly. We've had jumps winners, including one at Aintree last summer, but we're gearing mostly towards the Flat at the minute.

"The facilities are excellent and Len was a fantastic trainer. He is a perfectionist and everything has always been very well looked after.

"I'm young and keen to learn and if I ever need advice Len will be the first person I'll turn to. I'm very grateful to Mr and Mrs Shirley-Beavan for all their help in setting me up initially but this will hopefully help me develop even further.

"From a personal point of view I'm not moving that far and remaining on the 'right' side of the border! It really means a lot to me that I will still be a Scottish trainer."

Jardine, nicknamed 'Scobie', had his first jumps runner in 2009 and started on the Flat two years later. La Bacouetteuse was his first winner at Newcastle in August 2011 and has since won seven more races for his trainer whose best season on the Flat came in 2014 with 10 winners.

Lungo said: "I've known Iain since he left the school and I remember his first Aintree winner on Supertop. He was a decent jockey and had lovely hands.

"My job will be to make sure all the facilities such as as the gallops are kept in first class condition for him. I'll be here if he wants a second opinion but he's the trainer and he'll be making all the decisions - that's the way it should be."