First European-based Japan Cup-winning trainer and businessman Frank Dunne dies

Frank Dunne, the Dunnes Stores business tycoon who remains the only Irish trainer to have masterminded a Japan Cup success, which he achieved with 1983 winner Stanerra, has died aged 79.

Dunne was also a passionate breeder whose Hamwood and Ballymacoll Stud Farms in Dunboyne, County Meath have produced Group 1 winners Youmzain, Creachadoir and Night Of Thunder, the latter currently standing on the Godolphin roster at Kildangan.

Dunne bought Ballymacoll, from where Arkle was bred, from the Weinstock family for a reported €8.15 million in 2017.

Despite being credited, along with his sister Margaret Heffernan, for Dunnes Stores' expansion from modest beginnings on Patrick St in Cork City for his father Ben into a multi-billion euro business, Dunne's exploits with Stanerra are what he is best known for on the thoroughbred scene. Having initially sent her to Jim Bolger to train, he ultimately took out a licence himself on acquiring Hamwood.

In 1983, after sending Stanerra out to win the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown, Dunne then saddled the five-year-old mare to plunder both the Prince of Wales's Stakes and the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot.

She then landed the Joe McGrath Stakes – now the Irish Champion Stakes – at Leopardstown and completed a remarkable campaign by becoming the first European winner of the Japan Cup under Brian Rouse, having tied up badly on the long journey to Tokyo.

Dunne's final runners as a trainer were in 2016 with his last winner being Highland Fling at Ballinrobe that June, although his partner Ann Marshall has had horses in training with Johnny Murtagh, Jack Davison and Jessica Harrington in recent years.

Bolger, who rented stables from Dunne when he was starting out at Clonsilla in Dublin, spoke fondly of his old friend, who was reclusive in nature, on Wednesday. "It's very sad and first of all I'd like to commiserate with Ann and his family," he said.

"He was a hugely successful businessman and the company went from success to success when himself and Margaret took over after their father died.

"I had horses for him until he bought Hamwood and then he started training himself there, and he did very well with Stanerra – it was probably a good job for the rest of us he didn't decide to concentrate on training full-time."