Sir Michael Stoute to retire at the end of the season

The 78-year-old has been one of the most successful Flat trainers throughout the 20th and 21st century in a career that started in 1972. He will be forever associated with Shergar, the ill-fated 1981 Derby winner – but is responsible for so many other champions, with patience a key hallmark of his success.

He has been champion trainer 10 times, has six Derbys among 16 British Classics, plus 13 in Ireland, and to cap it all plundered some of the biggest prizes around the globe, including 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.”

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 never found. It was generally believed to have been the work of the IRA.

Stoute ended the season champion trainer for the first time. Five more Derby triumphs followed starting with Shahrastani, who defeated Dancing Brave in 1986.

The Ryan Moore-ridden Workforce was another tremendous Derby winner for Stoute in 2010, posting a record time for the race, while in 2022 Stoute showed he can still prepare a horse for the biggest day as Desert Crown stormed to Epsom glory under Richard Kingscote.

A special place in racing folklore is also reserved for Stoute and Moore through Estimate, who in 2013 won the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in the colours of the late Queen, sparking joyous scenes.

Stoute was knighted in 1998 for services to tourism in Barbados, where he was born and raised before moving to Britain aged 19 in 1964 to become assistant to Pat Rohan in Malton.

Stoute was only in England for a few months when his career could have taken a different course had he been successful in applying for the job of the BBC’s racing correspondent in 1965.

Stoute was one of 800 applicants for the BBC job, but made the shortlist of six with the final screen tests taking place at Newbury’s jumps meeting on November 26.

He made a good impression when calling the second division of the Freshman’s Hurdle, but it was not enough to secure him the job as he was rated the runner-up behind Julian Wilson.

Fallon leads the tributes

Kieren Fallon was in the saddle for the next two Derbys 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 and besides George Washington winning the Guineas, North Light 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.

“You could make the running, you could sit, it was easy and you could just enjoy it. There were pressures, no nothing, I don’t even think we discussed the ride. Not like King’s Best when I got beat in the Craven – that was a terrible ride.

“Sir Michael’s 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.”

Fellow trainer John Gosden said in response to the announcement: “A true champion trainer with a phenomenal feel for the horses in his stable.

“At the height of their powers, Henry Cecil and he were formidable adversaries and lit up the British racing season year on year.”

Stoute won the Derby on six occasions, with two of those victories for owner Saeed Suhail with Kris Kin in 2003 and Desert Crown in 2022.

Bruce Raymond, racing manager for the owner, said: “Sir Michael rang me this morning to tell me the news. What you can say? It’s not unexpected, but it’s sad.

“I rode for him as second jockey to Walter Swinburn at one time for Sheikh Maktoum Al Maktoum and rode quite a few winners.

“When my owners talk about telling Sir Michael to do something, I say ‘listen, Sir Michael Stoute has trained every winner in the world twice, I’m not going to tell him anything’ – and he quite rightly probably wouldn’t take any notice anyway!

“I’m kind of pleased that he’s given up still at the top. It’s not for me to say, but I hope he goes backwards and forwards to Barbados and follows the cricket because that’s his real passion and it’s great to do that before you get too old or unhealthy.

“He obviously trained two Derby winners for Saeed Suhail and a 2000 Guineas winner (King’s Best in 2000) and everything else.

“Who is anyone to tell Sir Michael what to do? There might be someone in the world as good, but there is no one better.”

Kingscote said: “He’s one of the greatest trainers ever and he will be missed by an awful lot of people and I just hope he enjoys his retirement.

“Obviously he has given me some great days and my biggest days and he has been a gentleman to ride for over the past five or six years. I will always be very grateful.”

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