for pastures new THE picturesque village of East Hendred near Wantage witnesses the end of an era this week as racehorse trainer Andy Turnell moves his string to north Yorkshire.
It was back in 1985 that Turnell, 50, arrived at Orchard Stables from Marlborough in Wiltshire.
And during the last 13 years he has sent out a steady flow of winners - claiming many of National Hunt racing's big prizes in the process.
Now he is taking his string of around 40 horses, including ten yearlings, to Breckenbrough House Farm stables near Thirsk - the yard formerly occupied by Lynda and Jack Ramsden.
Although his yard has been hit by the virus in recent seasons, Turnell's time at East Hendred has been one of great success - highlighted by Maori Venture's memorable 28-1 triumph in the 1987 Grand National at Aintree.
"It was very exciting of course," he says. "That was obviously one of the highlights.
"The next day there was a great turnout in the village. It was a great welcome back and the local pubs did a good trade.
"It will be very sad to leave the village. I shall always hold it in my affections, and shall visit it when I can - particularly the landlords!"
But Maori Venture's Aintree triumph under jockey Steve Knight wasn't Turnell's only big winner.
"Katabatic winning the Champion Chase and Cogent winning the Hennessy were good days," he recalls. "Any good winners are exciting.
"We had a certain amount of success and we never had more than 30 horses in training at one time, and we have been quite lucky with some good winners."
Turnell, who has sent out the winners of 26 Grade races, also has no hesitation in singling out Katabatic as the best horse he has trained.
"On his day he was by far the best two-mile chaser," he says. "He later suffered from a lung infection and never really recovered from that.
"I also had high hopes of Squire Silk. He won at Liverpool and was second in the Arkle, but the owner took him away. I thought he was potentially a very good horse, and still do."
But Turnell, who also trained Door Latch to win Ascot's SGB Chase and be placed in both the King George VI Chase and the Cheltenham Gold Cup, is now looking to the future.
With the backing of Dr John Hollowood, his principal owner, Turnell has bought the 52-box Breckenbrough House Farm, and is looking to have more runners on the Flat.
"I have always had one or two on the Flat, but the economics of the whole thing now mean I will have more Flat horses to keep the whole thing going through the summer," he says.
Meanwhile, Turnell's yard and his house are on the market - and although there has been plenty of interest, a buyer is still awaited.
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