ONE of the best trainers of sprinting horses, David “Dandy” Nicholls has passed away this morning.

He retired from training earlier this year, citing financial pressures as the reason for calling it a day. His last winner was the talented grey Sovereign Debt, who won in Qatar in March. The grey won a Group 3 for his new trainer Ruth Carr at Epsom on Saturday. Under Nicholls’ handling he had been a frequent visitor to Ireland winning at Leopardstown, Tipperary and the Curragh, with Chris Hayes and Declan McDonogh teaming up with him. The half-brothers Tax Free and Inxile, and Moss Vale were also Irish winners for the Yorkshire man.

His son Adrian, speaking to Racing UK, said: "He passed away in his sleep at home this morning.

"He'd been battling a few problems of late. Everybody knows in racing what he did. He was a very good jockey and an even better trainer and probably an even better dad.

"His record speaks for itself. There are a few other people snapping at his heels to take the 'Sprint King' title, but they'll be doing well to do what he did.

"Even yesterday, he was watching the racing and saw Sovereign Debt win at Epsom."

The 61-year-old, who also claimed over 400 races in the saddle, won big races in Europe including the Nunthorpe Stakes, the July Cup, the Prix de l’Abbaye and the Haydock Sprint Cup in an illustrious career.

He was an expert in big-field handicaps and won the Ayr Gold Cup six times, including three renewals on the bounce between 2000-02. Bahamian Pirate and Funfair Wane were ridden by his son Adrian.

Three of his Ayr winners went on to Group 1 success. Continent won the July Cup and the Prix de l’Abbaye, Bahamian Pirate the Nunthorpe and Regal Parade the Betfred Sprint and the Prix Mauirce de Gheest.

He also trainer Ya Malak to dead-heat with Coastal Bluff in the Nunthorpe in 1997 ridden by his wife Alex Greaves.

Nicholls’ fortunes had been dwindling since his best ever season in 2011 which saw him train 93 domestic winners.

Having trained out of Tall Trees Stables, near Thirsk, since 1992, Nicholls, was nicknamed the ‘Sprint King’, for his handling of fast horses.

As a jockey he also excelled doing light-weights on sprinters and will always be remembered for his association with the flying filly Soba, trained by David Chapman to become one of Europe's top sprinters. She famously won the1982 Stewards Cup making all the running from stall one with her regular partner.

She won the Group 2 King George Stakes at Goodwood, and was second to Habibti - in the July Cup, Vernons Sprint Cup at Haydock, York's William Hill Sprint Championship and the Abbaye, in which she was beaten a length.