Three-time Epsom Dash winner and 'real favourite' Caspian Prince retired at 12

Trainer Mick Appleby described popular sprinter Caspian Prince as “a real favourite” after the three-time Epsom Dash winner was retired at the age of 12.

Caspian Prince was successful at an array of tracks such as Deauville, Meydan and York, recording 23 victories and 22 places from 115 starts in a career that began in December 2011.

The catch-me-if-you-can sprinter recorded his most prestigious wins in Ireland, landing the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes for Tony Coyle at the Curragh in 2017 and the Listed Mercury Stakes for Roger Fell at Dundalk the previous year, but was best known for showing his brazen speed to great effect on Derby day at Epsom.

Read our Fans' Favourites piece on Caspian Prince

He landed the Dash for Tony Carroll in 2014, Dean Ivory in 2016 and Coyle the following year, then eventually joined Appleby in 2018.

Caspian Prince held his form particularly well, winning a conditions race at Beverley and the Gosforth Park Cup for a second time at Newcastle this year before bowing out at Ascot last month.

Appleby said: “He’s had quite a career and an old injury flared up again after his last run, so we wanted to retire him in one piece.

“He’s a real favourite and it’s sad to see him finish his racing days. He broke two course records in his last two years of racing, which is some going for a horse his age.

“His wins in the big sprint at Musselburgh and the Gosforth Park Cup were two of the best days out we had with him – he won the Dash three times before coming to us, then each time we took him down there the ground went against us.

“He’s an amazing horse, been a great servant and deserves a happy retirement.”

Caspian Prince stands with connections after winning the Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh in 2017Credit: Alain Barr

The Stephen Louch-owned Caspian Prince was successful under 11 different jockeys in Britain and Ireland, including Tom Eaves, who steered the then eight-year-old to a third Dash in 2017.

Eaves said: “He gave me some great days, especially when winning the Dash, and he was a pleasure to ride. He was very quick and used to just burn his rivals off. He’s by Dylan Thomas, so there’s no rules in this game!

“He’s been a great servant to all connections and I was lucky to have ridden him. He’s been around for years, he held his form right to the end and it’s nice to see he’s retiring in one piece.”

The veteran sprinter meant a great deal to Tom Marquand, who rode out Caspian Prince as a teenager for Carroll before winning the Gosforth Park Cup and a Yarmouth handicap on him six years later.

Marquand said: "I started riding out at Tony’s when I was 14 because his was the most local Flat yard, and Caspian Prince was the stable’s standout superstar. I got to sit on him a few times and it was a privilege to ride him when I did because he was such a legend.

"I’d never actually ridden him in a race until Newcastle, which was about six years on, so that’s pretty cool. When I saw I was on him that day I smiled to myself and thought, 'Blimey, that’s a blast from the past'. It’s really nice that I eventually got to get on him and win on him."

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