The wait is over. Twelve years of planning and bureaucracy battling lie in the past. The long-cherished dream of Toby Balding has finally been realised with a move to a state-of-the-art training complex.

No longer will visitors be directed to the antiquated yard adjacent to the Highland Wedding pub in Fyfield. Now they will marvel at the magnificent new facilities that highlight Kimpton Down Stables a mile or so up the road.

Centrepiece of the £1.5 million operation are two American-style barns and ancillary facilities which will pamper 72 thoroughbreds, complemented by luxurious offices, a functions room, storage and tack rooms, two hotwalkers and accommodation for staff and visitors.

There is also a new five-furlong all-weather exercise gallop and shady horse walks with the 200 acre site landscaped by the plant-ing of some 3,500 trees.

D-Day from Fyfield was completed over the weekend after seven months construction work, with the immediate benefit of horses and riders no longer having to make the increasingly hazardous journey by road to the gallops.

The former base, which sent out two Grand National winners in Highland Wedding and Little Polveir as well as Champion Hurdle heroes in Morley Street and Beech Road among scores of big race triumphs, now lies forlorn and empty. It will eventually be demolished to make way for about a dozen high quality houses as part of a swap deal with the Luff Construction group.

Time has overtaken Fyfield which has become increasingly a hindrance to Balding, pictured, attracting owners to the yard and causing him to lag behind rivals.

"I have spent all but two of my 47 years as a trainer here," he reflected on the move. "It has served me well. The horses were fine, no problem there. There are a lot of memories and a lot of history here but we knew we would have to spend a massive amount of money to take it into the next decade and in the long run, that simply was not on.

"Moving was essential. It's taken us about 12 years to get here. Now we have the most wonderful facilities operating in an efficient and modern unit.They are as good as any anywhere."

One interesting spin-off is that Balding, 67, hopes to launch another club ownership scheme on the back of the proven Highflyers and BTRB set up which will be supervised by his daughter, Judith, who is currently in Melbourne.

Balding, who has sent out about 2,000 winners since taking out a licence at the age of 19 in 1956, will only oversee Kimpton Down for a few months before officially handing over to his assistant and son-in-law Jonathan Geake who is married to his other daughter Serena.

Balding has not named the date but expects that to happen sometime next year, though he will not totally withdraw from the set-up by concentrating on making the entries.