ONE of the region's leading horserace trainers is to relocate to France.

Cheltenham Festival-winning trainer Ferdy Murphy will sell his Wynbury Stables, in West Witton, North Yorkshire, before moving to a farm in Upper Normandy.

The 64-year-old will continue his breeding business in France, as well as buying and selling young stock.

Murphy said he also intends to use his new site as a training base in the future.

He said: "It will be an end of an era.

"I've had many grand times at Wynbury, but I've always wanted to train in France.

"If I dont do it now, it is probably something I will regret later on in life.

"The opportunity is too good to turn down."

Mr Murphy has enjoyed many big-race victories, including 10 Cheltenham Festival successes, since moving to Wynbury in 1996.

His best horse was the late French Holly, winner of the 1998 Royal & SunAlliance Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham and third to Istabraq in the following year's Champion Hurdle.

Truckers Tavern was another headline horse for the Murphy yard, finishing second only to Best Mate in the 2003 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

His Paris Pike won the Scottish National as a novice in 2000, with Joes Edge adding another triumph in that race in 2005.

A third Scottish National came in 2007 courtesy of Hot Weld, who also won the-then Betfred Gold Cup (Whitbread Gold Cup) at Sandown a few weeks later - a race Murphy claimed twice, with Poker De Sivola obliging in 2011.

Mr Murphy also struck in the 2004 Irish Grand National with Granit DEstruval.

Mr Murphy said: "My eldest daughter, Caroline, lives in Normandy with my son-in-law Guy Petit, who is a top bloodstock agent, so it also makes sense from a family point of view.

"I'll be looking to have around 20 horses in France to begin with, which also gives me time to develop my new facilities and purchase other interests.

"All my staff and owners have been very supportive, and its grand that some want to send their horses to Normandy."