LAST year Michael Hickey announced that Doyen (Sadler’s Wells), the champion older horse in Europe in 2004, was to retire after 17 years at stud. Following three years at Dalham Hall in Newmarket and three years in Germany, he joined the stallion ranks at Sunnyhill in 2012.

His flat crops yielded 18 stakes winners, the Group 1 Preis der Diana-German Oaks winner Turfdonna being his best. Doyen was to prove equally adept as a National Hunt sire and was a consistent source of quality winners. Battleoverdoyen was his first Grade 1 winner over jumps, and he achieved this feat over hurdles and fences.