John Dunlop set to retire at the end of the season

John Dunlop has enjoyed a successful career
Veteran Classic-winning trainer John Dunlop is to retire at the end of the current Flat season...
Twice winner of the Epsom Derby with Shirley Heights (1978) and Erhaab (1994), Dunlop, 73, also saddled three St Leger winners in Moon Madness (1986), Silver Patriarch (1997) and Millenary (2000).
Other big wins on his roll of honour include three 1000 Guineas winners - Quick As Lightning (1980), Salsabil (1990) and Shadayid (1991) - and two Oaks winners in Circus Plume (1984), Salsabil (1990).
Dunlop said: "I can confirm that I'll be retiring at the end of the current Flat turf season. There are several reasons behind the decision. 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.
"I don't want to get involved at the moment (in talking about his career), it is a little bit too fresh. I talked to the staff this morning and my owners yesterday and today. It's very much fresh off the printing machine."
Arguably one of the finest horses to pass through the doors of Dunlop's stable was Sakhee, who finished second in the 2000 Derby to Sinndar and then fourth to Giant's Causeway in the Coral-Eclipse.
The Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned colt joined Godolphin for his four-year-old season, winning the Juddmonte International and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe before being beaten a nose by Tiznow in the Breeders' Cup Classic.
Dunlop's sons Ed and Harry have both become trainers, with the former enjoying Classic glory of his own in the Oaks with superstar fillies Ouija Board and Snow Fairy.
Snow Fairy most recently won the seventh Group One of her incredible career when landing the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown in the hands of Frankie Dettori.
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