Paul Wildes plans major racing centre for Helshaw Grance

Cheshire-based Wildes , who owns a string of 20 racehorses, is combining his operation with that of trainer Tim Pitt.

Pitt, 42, has been running a successful yard in Newmarket and moved into Helshaw Grange two weeks ago.

"We've got 35 horses at the moment and the aim is to take that up to 70," said Wildes, the former owner and chairman of Port Vale football club.

"We believe we have all the ingredients to make Helshaw Grange a highly successful training operation."

Wildes is a late-comer to racing, having been introduced to the sport just last spring by friend and successful owner Dr Marwan Koukash.

"He took me to the May Festival at Chester – where he had a very good meeting," said Wildes, whose business interests range from hairdressers to hotels.

"He has helped me to avoid the pitfalls and I bought my first horse at Tattersalls Sales. After selling Port Vale I decided I would like to be more heavily involved and, of course, if you do that, the biggest expense is training fees.

"But having a private yard isn't the way forward. I want other owners as well and Tim has come on board so we can build this as a business together."

Sheffield-born Wildes bought Helshaw Grange and has since moved his business headquarters into refurbished offices there, although he will continue to live in Cheshire.

"The key thing for me was that I wanted to have a talented trainer and a base we could build together, so we can invest in the facilities and attract owners to the yard," he added.

Plans include easy access to the yard for owners, and an IT system that will enable them to log in from home and watch their horses at work.

"We want them to be able to come to the yard on a day-to-day basis and make it more of an experience for them than just turning up on raceday.

"But of course one of the key things in attracting owners to a yard is success and we believe we have all the ingredients to achieve that."