WHITCOMBE Manor Racing Stables is back in business.

After laying derelict for nine years, the state of the art training centre sent out its first runners last week, under the ownership of breeder and owner Liz Nelson.

The multi-millionaire publishing tycoon bought the stables from property developer Peter Bolton last year and has since spent thousands of pounds restoring it to its former glory.

Last month she appointed 41-year-old dual-purpose trainer Jamie Poulton, who has moved his complete string of 26 horses from East Sussex.

"I bought the stables on August 4 last year, since when it's been a nightmare," said Nelson.

"I have quite literally had to gut the whole place and start again. I have ended up spending about three times as much as I'd budgeted for.

"It's been very hard work but I've got no regrets. I first tried to buy Whitcombe in 1977 and it's kind of been a labour of love for me.

"But now I reckon we're about two weeks from having the place completely finished and I'm very excited. Jamie Poulton has moved in with 26 horses and the place is beginning to buzz again.

"It's going to take him time to get used to things, but he's an excellent trainer and I'm really looking forward to him bringing us some great successes."

Poulton, 41, who once spent 18 months working for top jumps handler, Nicky Henderson, is leasing 50 boxes at the yard between Dorchester and Broadmayne.

He said: "This is an exciting time for me and I am looking forward to it. We have proved ourselves at the highest level, despite having a small yard, and moving to Whitcombe gives us the chance to move up the ladder.

"Hopefully, I am going to be active at the sales over the next few days, and I will also be trying to attract some new local owners.

"On top of that, Ron Huggins, owner of Double Trigger, has recruited the first few members of the first Whitcombe Partnership which he is setting up."

One massive blow for Poulton has been the loss of his flagship stayer, Land N' Stars.

The seven-year-old gelding, who has earned more than £200,000 prize money was moved by owner Paul Blows to Richard Fahey's yard in Yorkshire after Poulton announced his move to Dorset.

Despite have recruited the services of one handler, Nelson is now planning to appoint a second within days.

But she has denied speculation that an advert in the Racing Post inviting applications for a trainer to work at a private world-class training facility in South West England' is hers.

Instead, Nelson, who lives at Eype near Bridport, revealed that Jo Crowley, former assistant to ex-Whitcombe occupant Gay Kellaway, has got the job.

She explained: "Jo is a fabulous all-rounder who was at Whitcombe previously with Gay Kellaway. Right from the outset I wanted her involved and bringing her back was one of my main priorities.

"Having someone who knows the set-up and area is vital and I'm really pleased.

"She is due to receive her full training licence this week, after which we'll be going up to the Newmarket sales to bring back some very nice horses for her to train."

Whitcombe, near Dorchester, was built in the late 1980s by Bolton and can now house up to 112 horses.

Its facilities include an equine swimming pool, three full-time vets, an operating theatre and modern hand-made gallops that are exclusive to only Nelson and top Flat trainer Richard Hannon.

The Dorset yard has formerly been home to Richard Mitchell, Reg Akehurst, Toby Balding and David Elsworth with Cool Ground's 1992 Cheltenham Gold Cup its most notable success before Bolton decided to pull out of the sport in 1998.