Trainer Ed Walker reveals new plans for expansion at Lambourn

Plans for a new top flight racehorse training facility in Lambourn have been submitted to West Berkshire Council.

It’s on behalf of trainer Ed Walker, who is more or less doubling the size of his operation.

The proposal at Frenchman’s View is to include 40 boxes, horse walker, storage barn, water treadmill barn, collecting ring, tack room/day facilities building, racing office and a two-bed staff cottage.

These proposed facilities will have direct access out on to the gallops and trotting ring.

The property is on 2.5 acres, with an American Barn of 19 stables, horse walker, various outbuildings and six turnout paddocks.

There is a hostel for grooms, which is to be subject of a further application for change of use into a trainer’s house.

Frenchman’s View is an established satellite training yard to Kingsdown Stables.

The application submitted seeks to expand this training facility to include a total of 59 boxes between three American barns.

The water treadmill barn houses the water treadmill, which will be a new addition to Ed Walker Racing to provide improved fitness work and rehabilitation work.

It is part of training to improve all-over suppleness, stride length, muscle tone and strength for performance and reducing risk of injury.

This provides another in-house training tool which keeps the horses at their peak of fitness.

Mr Walker started training in October 2010 when he rented a small 24 box yard within St Gatien Stables in Newmarket.

From there he sent out his first runner which was Riggins, a listed winner on November 27, 2010.

Since then he has grown the business gradually, which has seen him relocate no less than four times.

His nomadic existence finally came to an end in December 2016 when he and his team settled at Kingsdown Stables in Upper Lambourn.

Mr Walker has trained more than 400 winners and has had a Stakes winner every year since taking out his licence.

The quality of his string has gradually improved over the years and he finally got that elusive Group 1 winner when Starman won the July Cup in 2021.

Almost a year later, Dreamloper landed the Group 1 Prix d’Ispahan at Longchamp, followed by the Group 1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp, becoming Mr Walker’s first dual Group 1 winner.

The increase in stabling to a total of 106 boxes means the training facility gains an advantage economically through costs and greater income.

This in turn will increase the current staff numbers from 30 to 45.

The bid makes note of the British Equestrian Federation produced report called ‘Facilities Strategy for Equestrian Sport and Recreation’, which lays out certain requirements that are currently lacking in the UK.

While elite performance and results are generally encouraging, the provision of high-quality training facilities is currently not keeping pace and to retain current owners and encourage new entrants to the sport of racing, modern training facilities are key.

Across the board in equestrian sport from show jumping, dressage, racing and polo, new modern facilities are the key to the sports surviving in the UK.