'Sprint King' David Nicholls announces he is to quit training

David 'Dandy' Nicholls, best known for his training of a raft of top-class sprinters, has announced he has left the training ranks.Nicholls - a former jockey, riding over 400 winners including the flying filly Soba - won the Nunthorpe Stakes, July Cup, Prix de l'Abbaye and Haydock Sprint Cup, as well as all the major sprint handicaps such as the Ayr Gold Cup, in an illustrious career.Nicknamed the 'Sprint King', the 60-year-old has been responsible for such luminaries as Continent, Bahamian Pirate, Regal Parade and Ya Malak, who created his own piece of history when ridden by Nicholls' wife, Alex Greaves, as she became the first female rider to win a Group One in Britain, dead-heating with Coastal Bluff at York in 1997.Nicholls began training in 1992, but after a golden spell at the turn of the century, his fortunes have dwindled of late.He faces trial in the summer on two charges of sexual assault, which he strenuously denies.Based at Tall Trees Stables near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, Nicholls went out with a winner as stable star Sovereign Debt landed a valuable race in Qatar only recently.He tweeted: "Sovereign Debt was our last runner from Tall Trees, as due to financial problems we have had to cease training."It was nice to go out on a high during what has been a difficult time & I'd like to thank all our owners that have supported us."Former champion jockey Silvestre de Sousa‏ added: "So sad to hear that Dandy Nicholls has had to give up training. #toptrainer #sprintking."