Racing: King waits for Castle confirmation

ALAN KING hopes his ambition to become a fully-fledged trainer will be close to realisation after an appointment at the Jockey Club in London this afternoon.

King appears before the licensing committee at Portman Square to apply to join the training ranks. He has been assistant to the soon-to-retire David Nicholson in recent years, and he will take over the reins at Jackdaws Castle as soon as he gets the official go-ahead.

It is not yet known when King's licence would take effect. "At the moment I don't know when David's last runner will be and when I will have my first - we'll have more idea tomorrow," he said yesterday.

King will move his team to a new yard at Barbury Castle, Wiltshire, at the end of the current jumps season.