Negus leaves his Waikouaiti training base after eight years at the end of the season to return to Canterbury.
The main motivation for the move was being closer to the Canterbury trials and workouts scene to enable him to buy and sell horses, he said.
Negus selected multiple group race winners Sly Flyin and Courage Under Fire for purchase by Australian owner Greg Brodie after seeing them trial in Canterbury.
''Greg Brodie looks every year for the classic horse and I can't do it down here,'' he said.
Though Negus has been able to buy horses such as Quick As A Trick for Brodie during his time in Waikouaiti, it would be a ''big advantage'' being able to trade horses from Burnham.
Another motivating factor in returning to Canterbury was the return to traditional track-based training and education of a large number of young horses Negus has on his books.
''The beach is great but you can't get 2yr-olds going [to their potential],'' he said.
Negus enjoyed training at Waikouaiti and paid tribute to the people he had associated with during his time there.
''I love it down here,'' he said.
The move back to Canterbury would not signal the end of seeing Negus' familiar scarlet racing silks in Otago again.
''I intend racing at every Forbury [Park] meeting I can,'' he said.
- by Jonny Turner
