RENOWNED horseman Rick Worthington is set to switch his base from Sutton Forest to Wyong, with his stable star Steel Giant primed for a return next month with spring riches on the agenda.

Worthington, who in recent years has trained War Of The Worlds and Star Of Luis for feature race wins before selling them to Hong Kong for upwards of $1 million each, said he had been in contact with Wyong Race Club officials and plans for a block of 40 stables were about to be lodged.

"The club at Wyong are going to be building stables on course and I'll have my own private compound of 40 boxes," Worthington said yesterday. "With a walking machine there as well, it will be a good set-up. By the time the plans go in and the stables are built, it won't be until next year that we move up there."

Worthington has 12 horses in full training at present but he said there were about 70 on his books at the Sutton Forest property.

"Including the horses that we are breaking-in, and the pre-trainers, there are plenty there to keep us busy," he said "A few people have asked me about what we will do with the farm and the breaking-in business when we make the Wyong move, and that is something that will have to be assessed at the time. We may well buy another property [on the Central Coast or in the Hunter Valley].

"We will be focusing on increasing our numbers of horses in training to be at full capacity at Wyong, though. With 40 boxes, we will be out to have them full."

With the spring carnival looming, Worthington said he was excited at the prospect of having Steel Giant return to racing after it contested the three-year-old classics during the Sydney autumn.

"That was basically Steel Giant's first preparation with equine influenza playing its part, and he did a great job to be just behind the placings in the Randwick and Rosehill guineas," Worthington said.

"He is down to have a jumpout on Wednesday and his first start this preparation will be the Premiere Stakes at Rosehill on August 16. From there, he'll head towards the Epsom and then he'll be off to Melbourne, all going well."

While Worthington hasn't hesitated in selling horses to Asia for the right price in the past, he said Steel Giant could be "a cups horse" and was not for sale.

"He has developed a lot during his spell," Worthington said. "Just looking at the horse you can see that he has come back in great shape. He is a lot thicker; a lot stronger. And more importantly, he has matured mentally."