Legends of the Turf – Sir Michael Stoute
When I started to get interested in horse racing back in the 1980s there was one flat trainer whose runners always caught my eye and it was Sir Michael Stoute’s. My dad had been a big fan of the trainer back in the day and I suppose that rubbed off on me on during my early punting days.
This months Turf Legend is Sir Michael Stoute, as I look back at his training career and some of the great horses that he has trained. I say some because if I was to mention all the equine stars that he has handled during his training career I would be writing about three articles, not one.
At the end, I will highlight a couple of micro angles from the trainer that I think are worthy of note and could be worth following this season if you’re into trainer micro-angles.
From Barbados To Newmarket
Sir Michael was born on the Caribbean Island of Barbados in October 1945. Where his father was the Chief of Police on the Island. A noted athlete in his teens, according to West Indian cricketing legend Sir Michael Holding, who told Times racing writer Mark Souster: “It is a little-known fact that, when he was young, [Sir] Michael Stoute was one of the finest athletes in Barbados,” Holding said before start of play at the Kia Oval yesterday. “He was outstanding and one of the quickest on the island.”.
Maybe in an alternative universe, Sir Michael ended up representing Barbados on the cinder track of the Olympic Games. Fortunately for the racing world, he decided not to pursue his athletics career and settled on horse racing.
As a young man, he left behind the delights of Barbados and Garrison Savanah race track in 1965 to become the assistant trainer to Malton trainer Pat Rohan before moving onto work at Newmarket for Doug Smith and Harry Thomson (Tom) Jones, before taking out a training licence of his own in 1972. It wasn’t too long before he had his first winner which came on April 28th, 1972 at Newmarket with Sandal in his father colours.
It was felt by most lovers of the sport, that it would be extremely difficult for the then young Barbadian to be a success in the field, given he was starting from scratch in a foreign country. However, his talent and determination proved the doubters wrong in a very big way.
Big Winners & Class Horses
Since his first winner, he’s gone on to win fifteen Classics, including five Epsom Derby’s, two Epsom Oaks. five 2000 Guineas, two 1000 Guineas and one St Leger. He has also won eleven Irish Classics, including six Irish Oaks and three Irish Derby’s.
However, he hasn’t just won the top races in Britain & Ireland, he’s also produced his horses to win some of the biggest International races too. In 2010 he won Prix de I’Arc de Triomphe with Workforce, Japan’s biggest race the Japan Cup twice. and add in his seven successes at the Breeders Cup and you have a trainer whose runners have to be respected on the International stage.
Let’s take a look at some of the great horses that he’s had through his hands in the past 46 years as a trainer.
Shergar, arguably his most famous horse, who won the 1981 Epsom Derby, Irish Derby and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Shahrastani, who won the Epsom & Irish Derby’s in 1996.
Shadeed, The 1985 English 2000 Guineas winner.
Marwell, the top sprinting mare who won the 1981 King Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot, the July Cup and Prix de l'Abbaye later that season.
Pilsudski, with his wins in the Breeders’ Cup Turf in 1996. Eclipse Stakes, Irish Champion Stakes, Champion Stakes and Japan Cup in a tremendous 1997.
Fair Salina, the trainers' first Classic winner when taking the Epsom & Irish Oaks in 1978.
Kalanisi, who as four-year-old won the 1m Group 1 Queen Anne at Royal Ascot, the 1m 2f Champion Stakes before heading out to the US to win the Breeders Cup Turf over 1m 4f in an incredible 2000.
Conduit, St Leger winner in 2008, Breeders Cup Turf winner in 2008 & 2009 and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 2009.
Sonic Lady, 1000 Guineas and Sussex Stakes winner in 1986.
Singspiel, Canadian International winner 1996, Japan Cup 1996 and went on to win the Dubai World Cup, Coronation Cup and International Stakes in the following season.
Workforce, his last Derby winner in 2010 and later that season went onto take Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
And not forgetting.
Kribensis, who he trained to win twice at the Cheltenham Festival: The Triumph Hurdle in 1988 and the Champion Hurdle in 1990.
He has trained 3000 winners and been Champion Trainer on ten occasions, the first of which came in 1981 and the last in 2009.
Notable Owners & Jockeys
His list of owners during his career reads like a who’s who of the ownership ranks from Sheik Mohammed, through to HH Aga Khan, Prince Khalid Abdulla and of course HM The Queen for who whom he trained the mare Estimate to take Gold Cup glory in 2013, at Royal Ascot.
His most notable partnerships with stable jockeys came with Walter Swinburn, who rode Shergar to victory in the Derby at just 19 years of age, Kieran Fallon and more recently Ryan Moore.
Sir Michael who was knighted for his services to sport and Barbados Tourism in 1998, may not have the ammunition that he once had but there is no doubt before he retires he will win another Classic. Indeed, this year he has one of the leading fancies for the 2000 Guineas in the exciting Expert Eye.
It’s not easy to find profitable angles for the trainer but here are three that are worth monitoring.
Two are turf based and one is an all-weather micro angle.
Starting with the latter:
Trainer Micro Angles
Sir Michael Stoute & The Progeny Of Dansili
The trainer does like the sire Dansili and his record with the progeny of the sire on the all-weather is excellent.
Delivering the following results:
21 winners 61 runners 34% +39.65 A/E 1.41 41 placed 67% (profit to BSP +51.7)
You could back his runners blind on the all-weather but as ever if you want to drill down further, you can just concentrate on those runners that were either making their racecourse debut:
5 winners from 14 runners 36% +15.75 A.E 2.3 9 placed 64%
or those that finished in the first three on their last start:
12 winners from 22 runners 55% +18.73 A/E 1.65 16 placed 73%
Sir Michael Stoute – Turf Micro Angles
Two turf angles from the great trainer both with qualifying criteria and results since 2014:
1. Lightly Raced Three Year Olds
Horse Age: 3-year-olds
Race Distance: 1m & 1m 2 ½ f
Month: May June
Career Runs: 1 or 2
36 winners from 100 runners 36% +61.53 A/E 1.44 52 placed 52% (profit to BSP + 78.58)
The chi score of 6.53 is big positive and the Exp/Wins is 25, which is an indication that we're working with a decent sample size.
System: Sir Michael Stoute trained 3 year olds racing over 1 mile & 1m 2 ½ f, with 1 or 2 career runs in May or June.
- Sir Michael Stoute – Unexposed Handicapper.
The second micro-angle is for those of you who like betting on handicaps and those tracks where the trainer likes to target his unexposed handicappers.
Race Type: Handicaps only
Horses Age: 3-year-old or older.
Handicap Runs: 0 to 1 only
Tracks: Doncaster, Epsom, Leicester, Nottingham, Pontefract, Salisbury, Sandown, Yarmouth & York.
45 winners from 135 runners 38% +77.38 A/E 1.46 65 placed 56% (profit to BSP +98.14)
Once again, a good Chi score at 7.07 and the Exp/Wins are a very healthy 32.
Once again you can drill down into those stats further by looking at those of his runners that had won a race in their last three runs, which has produced the following set of results:
33 winners from 79 runners 42% +51.29 A/E 1.52 44 placed 56% (profit to BSP +63.59)
System: Sir Michael Stoute trained 3 year olds and older racing in Handicaps with 0 or 1 previous handicap runs racing at Doncaster, Epsom, Leicester, Nottingham, Pontefract, Salisbury, Sandown, Yarmouth & York. From April to August.
Well, I hope you have enjoyed this all too short a trip down memory lane and with any luck the above micro angles will continue to be profitable to follow in 2018.
John Burke