John Dunlop to retire at season's end

John Dunlop, one of Britain's longest-serving and most respected trainers, has

announced that he will retire at the end of the season. Doncaster Racecourse

will make a presentation to Dunlop Friday to mark his achievements at the home

of the final classic, the Group 1 St Leger.

Over a training career which has spanned 47 years, Dunlop has enjoyed three

St Leger winners -- Millenary in 2000, Silver Patriarch in 1997 and Moon Madness

in 1986 -- and had plenty of other success at Doncaster.

Dunlop saddles Times Up in Friday's Group 2 Doncaster Cup, a race he won with

Millenary in both 2005 and 2004 (dead-heat with Kasthari).

"It's been a wonderful innings," Dunlop told Racing Post on Thursday,

"but all good things come to an end. I told my owners at the start of the day

and obviously we are all a bit sad but there have been some great days,

particularly Ragstone's Gold Cup, the two Derby winners (Shirley Heights and

Erhaab) and in this week my three St Leger winners at Doncaster, where I will be

going tomorrow.

"I do want to thank all the owners who have supported me and my staff, a lot

of whom have been with me a very long time. I hope we have made a little

contribution towards the game over the years and I am very proud to have two

sons (Ed and Harry) continuing training."

Dunlop, 73, described the rationale for his decision to the Press

Association.

"There are several reasons behind the decision," Dunlop said. "I now have

much reduced stable numbers, and it is now less viable than it once was.

"My wife has also been ill for quite a while as well, so that has been a

factor and I can also now live in the shadow of my very successful sons."

Born at Tetbury, Gloucestershire on July 10, 1939, Dunlop is the son of a

doctor. He first took out a license in 1966 and had a two-year apprenticeship

with Neville Dent and Gordon Smyth before he was asked to take over the reins at

the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk's Castle Stables in Arundel, West Sussex, from

where he started this season with 67 horses in training.

Black Satin's 1970 Irish One Thousand Guineas success established Dunlop as a

trainer of rare quality. He has since landed 10 English classics, including the

Group 1 Derby Derby victories with Shirley Heights in 1978 and Erhaab in 1994,

and narrowly failed to add a third to his portfolio in 1997 when Silver

Patriarch was beaten a short-head by Benny the Dip, although the same horse

provided him with some consolation later in the season when lifting the final

classic, the St Leger. Dunlop again saddled the Derby runner-up in 2000 with

Sakhee and had the third, Let the Lion Roar, in 2004.

Dunlop had his first Group 1 Oaks success with Sir Robin McAlpine's Circus

Plume in 1984. He has since enjoyed the fruitful support of owner Hamdan al

Maktoum and trained the owner's Salsabil to win the 1990 Oaks, Group 1 One

Thousand Guineas and Group 1 Irish Derby. Together they have recorded multiple

Group 1 glories with Bahri (1995 St James's Palace Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II

Stakes), Marju (1991 St James's Palace Stakes) and Lahib (1992 Queen Elizabeth

II Stakes).

His other One Thousand Guineas wins, besides Salsabil's, came through Quick

as Lightning (1980) and Shadayid (1991). He sent out Sheikh Mohammed's first

winner -- Hatta who won at Brighton on June 20, 1977.

Another top performer was Millenary, who won 11 Group races over six seasons,

including the 2000 St Leger, his third winner of the Doncaster classic.

Dunlop was rushed to hospital after the normally fatal rupture of his aorta

in November, 2001, but made a full recovery. He was until recently a director of

Goodwood Racecourse, his local track. Dunlop was also awarded an OBE for his

charitable work.

Champion trainer in 1995,  Dunlop has been responsible for 74 Group 1

winners among nearly 300 Group successes. His total winning tally is more than

3,500.

"It's difficult to know where to begin, he's been at the top of the tree for

so long," Ed Dunlop told PA Sport. "He's trained two Derby winners, numerous

classic winners and has been champion trainer. He's been a great inspiration to

me and my brother and we obviously wish him a long and happy retirement. It's

going to be a sad day for not only the whole Dunlop family when his career does

come to an end at the end of the season, but I'm sure all his staff and his

owners.

"There are so many memories from when I was young, too many to mention really

-- Shirley Heights winning the Derby and so on. I know how pleased he was when

Snow Fairy won last weekend, having trained for Mrs. Patino for many years

himself of course. Certainly without him, I probably wouldn't have trained for

Mrs. Patino and therefore wouldn't have trained Snow Fairy. I owe him a huge

debt for that and so many other things."

Also on hand to reflect on Dunlop's career was Willie Carson, who rode

numerous big-race winners from Arundel.

"He is one of the true legends of the sport," Carson said. "I rode a hell of

a lot of winners for him. Just a few weeks ago, we were talking about it and I

think it was around 680 winners. I rode a lot of class horses for him.

"Salsabil was one of the quickest fillies I ever rode and there were so many

other great horses like Erhaab and Marju.

"John was the sort of trainer that could improve horses. Once he worked them

out, he could get them to improve and improve and he was always spot-on with

what he said. I always had a very good relationship with him and I always

remember how he always used to say before a race 'there's plenty of time.'

"Sometimes there wasn't as much time as he thought, but he always portrayed

coolness, tried to get the jockeys to relax and have confidence in themselves

and the horses they were riding. He's a gentleman who everyone in racing has

tremendous affection for.

"The Dunlop name is going to carry on in racing for years to come with his

sons, but John was the one who started it all off. He is a master trainer and I

can only give him the highest praise," Carson summed up.

Godolphin's Racing Manager Simon Crisford served as assistant to Dunlop for a

spell.

"Quite simply, he was one of the greatest trainers of all time," Crisford

said. "He gave me my first chance in racing. I turned up and knocked on his door

and he asked me what I could do. I told him I could wash his car and cut his

ivy, so it just shows the measure of the man that he took me on and gave me a

leg up in life.

"He has done so much charitable work down the years, he really is tireless

working for worthwhile causes and he has always put everybody else first.

"There's a link with Sheikh Mohammed, also, as he trained his first winner

way back when. I, along with everybody in racing I imagine, would like to wish

him a very happy retirement."

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