Manton-Bound Meehan Over The Moon

Brian Meehan is set to replace John Gosden as the next trainer at Manton in Wiltshire.

Meehan signed a deal with Manton´s owners, the Sangster family, on Monday to take over the famous estate - that has yielded 33 Classic winners - after Gosden announced his decision to end his six-year tenure in favour of a return to Newmarket.

'Manton is a breathtaking place with every facility a trainer can possibly wish for, including the most superb variety of grass and all-weather gallops,' Meehan told the Racing Post.

'In every respect it´s the perfect set-up and everything looks in terrific condition.

'I´ve informed my owners and I´m pleased they are excited and as enthusiastic as I am.

'I´m fortunate this opportunity has come at the right stage of my career.

Meehan´s stock has grown with every season and he has now saddled nine Group One winners.

This term has been his most profitable to date, however, with David Junior winning the Champion Stakes and Donna Blini landing the Cheveley Park Stakes being the two major highlights.

The 38-year-old admitted the Manton role could not have come at a better time as he has now outgrown his current base at Upper Lambourn.

'We´re becoming rather short of room at Newlands (Stables),' he added.

'Having said that, it will be a wrench to leave Lambourn because the place has been very good to me and we´ve had a lot of success there.

'But this is the right time for a change, and no trainer could possibly turn down the opportunity to train from Manton.'

Ben Sangster, whose late father Robert bought Manton House in 1984, expressed his delight at the appointment and is relishing a long and successful partnership with Meehan.

He said: 'Brian´s excellent record of achievement speaks for itself and we´re confident he´ll enhance that record here.

'We´ll certainly be sending him some horses, including a batch of two-year-olds, although at this stage it´s too early to be specific about numbers.'

? PA Sport