'A mainstay and a legend' - Ireland's most prolific all-weather winner retired

Connections of Togoville, the most prolific winner in Irish all-weather racing history, have called time on the 11-year-old's memorable racing career with trainer Anthony McCann paying tribute to the record-breaking Dundalk stalwart.

The popular grey, who provided the much-missed Pat Smullen with his final winner in the saddle in March 2018, overcame a near-death experience prior to rattling off a hat-trick in consecutive weeks in February, having met with a colic issue on his way to the races.

Togoville: holds the record for the most wins on Dundalk's all-weather circuitCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

His sensational return to form this spring elevated him to 14 course wins – four clear of the late Shake The Bucket in the track's standings – but after failing to make the same impact in his last two starts off higher marks, McCann opted to retire his stable star.

"The spark seems to be there, but he doesn’t have the legs for it anymore and we couldn’t live with ourselves if he was injured," he said of the Patrick McCann-owned veteran.

"After discussing it with Patrick, we decided that now is the time to allow him to enjoy the retirement he thoroughly deserves."

The trainer added: "I’m so happy that he is retiring in full health back to a wonderful home at Brookland Stables with Patrick and his family."

Togoville will return to Dundalk for one last time this Sunday to be honoured with a presentation to connections at the 2021 Winter Finals fixture.

"He has been both a mainstay and a legend at Dundalk since his first win back in January 2015," said track manager Jim Martin.

"What he achieved this year was remarkable for a horse of his age, it's a credit to the team at Shabra Stables and Anthony to have a horse who could return time and time again and be so competitive. It's wonderful to see a horse like Togoville retire at the top of his game."

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