Legendary trainer Sir Michael Stoute has announced he is to retire at the end of the current season, bringing to a close a glittering career spanning six decades.
The 78-year-old has been one of the most successful Flat trainers for over half a century, starting in 1972. He will be forever associated with the great Shergar, the ill-fated 1981 Derby winner, but was responsible for so many other champions including Singspiel, Workforce, North Light and Harbinger, who won the 2010 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes by 11 lengths.
Sir Michael Stoute (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Stoute has been champion UK trainer on ten occasions between 1985 and 2022, has six Derby’s among 16 British Classics, plus another 13 in Ireland, and to cap it all successfully raided some of the biggest prizes around the globe. These included the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Japan Cup, Dubai World Cup, Hong Kong Vase, and the Breeders’ Cup.
In a statement issued on Tuesday lunchtime he said: “I have decided to retire from training at the end of this season. I would like to thank all my owners and staff for the support they have given me over the years. It has been a great and enjoyable journey.”
The trainer first scored at the highest level when Blue Cashmere won the 1974 Nunthorpe Stakes and his most recent Group 1 winner was Bay Bridge, who landed the 2022 Champion Stakes at Ascot.
It was in the 1980s that Stoute really came into his own. The decade started on a high with Shergar and the late Walter Swinburn winning the Derby in spectacular fashion, by a record margin of 10 lengths.
Shergar enjoyed a golden summer with convincing victories in the Irish Derby and the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes. He was also subject of perhaps the most amazing mystery in the history of racing, being abducted from the Aga Khan’s stud in Ireland in 1983 and ransomed for £2 million. He was never found. It was generally believed to have been the work of the IRA.
Stoute ended that season champion trainer for the first time. Five more Derby triumphs followed starting with Shahrastani, who defeated Dancing Brave in 1986.
Six-time UK champion jockey Kieren Fallon paid tribute to the Freemason Lodge trainer. The Irishman was aboard for the next two Derby’s to go to Stoute – Kris Kin in 2003 and North Light in 2004 – as they formed a tremendous trainer-jockey partnership.
“He always got the best out of a horse; he was able to take a horse from a two-year-old until they retired and keep finding improvement. He was a genius around his horses and a gentleman to ride for,” said Fallon.
“North Light in particular was great. Winning the Derby was one of the great days because he was automatic – he was one of these lovely, big, easy horses to ride with no complications.”
“Sir Michael’s horses would never be over the top or fully tuned in, he would always leave a little bit for the next day and the next day, that was the great thing about him, there was always just enough done. North Light by a mile was one of the best and the Russian Rhythm days as well, they were amazing.”
Stoute was knighted in 1998 for promotion of sports tourism in his hometown of Barbados.
