One of the biggest names in British horse racing, Sir Michael Stoute, announced on 10th September 2024 that he will retire at the end of the season. In doing so, the 78-year-old will close the curtain on a stunning career as a racing trainer that puts him firmly among the sport’s all-time greats.
With his retirement now imminent, we want to look back at Stoute’s career and remember some of his most notable wins and the achievements he has collected along the way.
How It All Began
How different life could have panned out for Michael Stoute as he initially attempted to pursue a career in journalism. After working in a North Yorkshire stable, he auditioned for a BBC racing correspondent job but the state broadcaster went with Julian Wilson instead. A few years after this setback, Stoute began his training career by setting up a small yard in Newmarket.
After establishing himself as a trainer in 1972, it did not take Stoute long to make an impact in the sport. The following year he landed winners in both the Stewards’ Cup (Alphadamus) and Ayr Gold Cup (Blue Cashmere). Stoute said he owes a lot to these two horses for giving him a bright start to his career as he said failure to hit the ground running as a trainer can mean you “get buried quickly”.
More Still to Come
Later in the 1970s, Stoute claimed a handful of major racing wins such as in the Nunthorpe Stakes, Nassau Stakes and Ascot Gold Cup. It was not until the 1980s though that things really began to take off for the Barbados-born trainer. During the 1980s Stoute enjoyed victories in an abundance of top races, one of the most famous examples coming in the 1981 Derby, won by Shergar by a commanding 10 lengths.
The extremely talented horse, and possibly Stoute’s most famous, won six of his eight races before being retired to stud but was later kidnapped with a £2m ransom demanded.
A True Champion
Shergar’s emphatic win helped Stoute to secure his first Champion Trainer title, an accolade he would collect 10 times over the course of his career. Only one trainer, Alex Taylor Jr, has secured the title more than Stoute who finds himself joint second with Sir Henry Cecil on the all-time standings. Stoute’s final Champion Trainer title came in 2009, nearly three decades after he landed his first. A significant part of that year’s prize money came in just one race, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. In an extremely rare feat, Stoute landed first, second and third place in one of Britain’s richest horse races. This saw him take home around 90% of the available prize money, a very nice payday with just under £1m in total up for grabs.
| Horse | Jockey | Winnings | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Conduit (13/8) | Ryan Moore | £567,700 |
| 2nd | Tartan Bearer (7/2) | Mick Kinane | £215,200 |
| 3rd | Ask (9/1) | Olivier Peslier | £107,700 |
Sustained Success
We spoke about how Stoute’s career really began to flourish during the 1980s but it takes someone special to maintain such a high standard and that is exactly what Stoute did. Across the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s he continued to claim victories in Britain’s top races as well as some further afield, like the Breeders’ Turf Cup in America, the Hong Kong Bowl and the Dubai World Cup. Overall, he ended up securing major victories in 10 different nations.
It becomes difficult to pick out just a few highlights because over his lengthy career, which spans more than five decades, Stoute has won so many elite races, and on multiple occasions, in some instances. Here are some of his most notable achievements, however:
- Won the Triple Crown of Hurdling with Kribensis in 1989/90 – a feat not repeated for nearly three decades afterwards
- Won 16 British Classics with the most success coming in the Epsom Derby (6)
- The only 20th Century trainer to win a British Classic in five consecutive seasons
- Won 13 Irish Classics with the most success coming in the Irish Oaks (6)
- Won the 2010 edition of France’s biggest horse race, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe
- Claimed four wins in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, making him the event’s second most successful trainer
- Guided Queen Elizabeth II’s horse, Estimate, to glory in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot
- Out of major races, the one Stoute won the most was the Yorkshire Oaks. He won the race, which dates back to 1849, nine times, making him the contest’s joint all-time leading trainer
- Won 82 races at Royal Ascot
- Saddled over 4,000 winners during a 52-year career
It is fair to say that racing will be saying goodbye to a legend of the sport when Sir Michael Stoute finally steps back, putting an end to a 52-year-old career. The tributes have already begun to flood in and you can expect many more to come during his final race meeting as a trainer. Known as both a ‘genius and a gentleman’ the Newmarket-based trainer will certainly be missed but his legacy and many of his records will live on for years to come.
