French trainer Francois Doumen has called time on the career of dual purpose racehorse Kasbah Bliss.
A Group One winner on the Flat and a top-class performer over hurdles, there have not been many horses of the same ilk in recent times.
His last win was his Prix du Cadran success in October 2011, yet as recently as August he was just a length behind Supreme Novices’ Hurdle favourite Irving.
“He took me around the world and had such enthusiasm, he was a happy horse,” Doumen said.
“He has been very special. So few horses were able to race at the level he did on the Flat and over hurdles. It used to happen in France just after the war but it is very rare now.
“If he was still an entire I don’t know if we’d have ever gone hurdling with him.
“I’d have to say his Cadran win sticks out – winning any Group One is special – but his run at Sha Tin, when he was third in the Vase, was arguably his best as he was only beaten a neck and a head.
“We will try to find a new home for him. My wife is very involved in the retraining of racehorses and I imagine he’ll go three-day eventing.”
Now 12, Kasbah Bliss won over STG1 million ($A1.85 million) prize money, winning 16 of his 68 races under both codes.
