Equinties - end of an era

Gm Equinauts

Yesterday, Sir Michael Stoute announced that at the end of the season his yard is to shut down for him to pursue his long-awaited retirement.

Now, let’s be clear - he’s not dead! But even with the conscious effort to distinguish the celebration of his career achievements, as opposed to look back on his life as we perhaps would when someone passes, this still might read like an obituary… the obituary of an era in racing of which Sir Michael Stoute was the last legend of.

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

STOUTE TO RETIRE 

All reading this will have heard of Sir Michael Stoute, but not all will perhaps appreciate the influence he has had on British racing over so many decades and that’s probably because he trained his first winner many years before many of you were even born (we have quite young readership versus the pensioners who still pick up the Racing Post in physical).

Our young audience will be most familiar with his recent big successes, namely the the late Derby hero DESERT CROWN or new monster PASSENGER and perhaps even added yesterdays victor FORMAL to their notebooks.

The racing world is small but it’s wide and diverse in age and most will remember him for his five 2000 Guineas winners, his two 1000 Guineas winners , his six (yes SIX!) Epsom Derby wins as well as two Epsom Oaks, one St Leger and 10 champion trainer titles.

Horses like SHERGAR, ULYSSES, MARWELL, ROYAL HEROINE, HARBINGER, and SHAREEF DANCER to name but a few have all been under his care as well as KRIBENSIS over hurdles who won the Champion Hurdle.

Of course, it’s hard to talk about Stoute and not mention ESTIMATE who created one of those goosebump moments at Royal Ascot in 2013.

The Queen had several horses in training with Stoutey but ESTIMATE was a special one to her. Why? Because old Queen Lizzie had won every Classic bar the Derby and when CARLTON HOUSE, another Stoute inmate couldn’t quite get up in Epsom’s 2011 Derby, Her Majesty’s next big target, almost the consolation prize, was the Royal Ascot Gold Cup.

Enter ESTIMATE.

After proving her staying ability in 2012, the next season ESTIMATE won an epic battle at the Berkshire track to pip the Willie Mullins trained SIMENON by a short hair and gave Her Majesty no doubt her best memory from racing.

Watch this:

Perhaps the most famous horse which might enter one’s mind when someone says ‘Sir Michael Stoute is SHERGAR.

Never heard of him? Look him up. He was the 70’s-80’s version of FRANKEL, a superstar who made a field in 1981’s Derby look like rocking horses. Trained by Sir Michael Stoute, he was owned by the Aga Khan who syndicated for £10m… a record at the time.

Well, that big valuation didn’t go unnoticed by the wrong crowd and, in an event which transcended the usual limits of the racing world, SHERGAR was stolen and never seen again. He would have made a beautiful stallion.

No one has ever found out the true demise of the worlds best race horse but rumour has it he was nicked by pikeys who didn’t know how to control SHEGAR (don’t forget, he was still entire and a brute of a colt) so when the gang quickly realised they had bitten off more than they could chew, they shot him. That’s the folk tale anyway.

Cruelly, SHERGAR was deprived of stamping his mark on the breeding side of thoroughbred racing but there was one lesser known horse trained by Stoute, who did have a monumental impact on bloodlines… GREEN DESERT.

A top 2yo, and won the July Cup and Sprint Cup however, his stamp on the thoroughbred’s is immeasurable through his 3 sons CAPE CROSS, OASIS DREAM and INVINCIBLE SPIRIT. All three have importantly, left a couple of good colts, especially CAPE CROSS with SEA THE STARS and INVINCIBLE SPIRIT with KINGMAN. OASIS DREAM has NATIVE TRAIL but he’s still got it all to prove.

Amazingly all 3 are seriously talented broodmare sires who’ll keep the GREEN DESERT line going for many many years to come.

In conclusion, Stoute is a master trainer who over time, knew how to improve horses throughout their career, not just at a young age like most trainers these day focus on.

Time after time you would see quality horses, who may have even had major setbacks, perform at an elite level year on year. Quite simply, he is a man who simply knows horses to a very high level, and this retirement is a true end of an era.

Best of luck, Stoutey! See you at the cricket!

GRIEZ IS THE MAN

News was a bit slow yesterday as a lot revolved around the Sir Michael Stoute announcement, but there was an interesting story that cropped up.

Antoine Griezmann, the profligacy Atletico Madrid striker who has 44 goals from 137 appearances for France, had one of his horses that he bred sell at the Osarus Yearling Sale.

A TORNADO half-brother to the Listed winner INTELLECT was the horse that Griezmann saw go through the ring as John Hammond bought him.

Griezmann is just one example of footballers being involved in horse racing, though he is probably one of the most famous footballing names we have in the sport who still plays the beautiful game.

Away from this small piece of interesting news, there were some notable seven-figure sales that were knocked down yesterday.

A GUN RUNNER yearling colt out of the Graded-placed PRINCESA CAROLINA sold for $2.2 million while MV Magnier of Coolmore and Peter Brant of White Birch Farm went to $1.4 million for the colt by first-crop yearling sire Charlatan out of the Grade 2 winner GUARANA.

Big moves over in the US that are certainly worth noting down.

A LOOK AHEAD

This week for A Look Ahead, we are cheating a bit owed to the pleasure of confirmations (something that has bitten this article recently), but because the Leger meeting kicks off tomorrow, we thought we’d offer an early present by previewing the £70,000 Pertemps Network Handicap at 16.10.

One line on the main contenders.

HARPER’S FERRY had a mark of 88 when he ran in the Group 2 King Ed Stakes at Royal Ascot and has been pushed up five pounds for finishing eighth. Slight tip in itself from Ed Walker for sending him to a Group 2 rather than a handicap off 88, so he should be watched here.

From VICTORIOUS STREET’s last win, SKIPPER has won a Chelmsford maiden, BARAQ was second at Newcastle yesterday, SHAMRAN has won a Salisbury novice and BOSS DOG was a close third in a Kempton novice. That is great form.

David Menuisier has booked the useful claimer Joe Leavy for PROMETHAN who was third to the Listed-placed SHAMROCK GLITTER and now 116-rated FIRST LOOK on his second career start. A mark of 85 and the 3lb claim could have him thrown in here.

FOX LEGACY dotted up at Salisbury for Sir Michael Stoute lto and has been raised 16lbs for the effort. He is a half to the Group 2 winner CEILING KITTY, so there’s scope to say he can continue albeit CEILING KITTY raced over the minimum trip.

T’CHALLA won nicely lto but the form is questionable as VOYAGE was beaten nto and HOUSTON was also beaten comfortably since.

MAGICO doesn’t have the best page and although he was a nice winner of a Class 4 handicap lto, a mark of 87 is a career high and Class 2 company won’t be easy.

BLAKE has his best form on softer ground and was a non-runner on good to firm, so the current good ground going probably isn’t his preference especially if it quickens up until the start of Thursday.

THEORY OF TALES won his first two starts and any horse who wins under a penalty on their second start is usually useful. His next two runs were bad, but a mark of 95 is probably workable with a page that includes Group 2 & 3 winners.

Verdict: If the ground was rattling we’d probably be all over the Stoute’s (who is bang in form) FOX LEGACY who owns a real fast ground pedigree, but with the rain pouring in Donny now, conditions might be slower than he wants. If the ground turns really soft then BLAKE would be a huge contender as is over priced currently at 8/1 but let’s wait until the going is known and decide ahead of the race.

RISK ON

The racing is terrible today and, as well alluded to yesterday, there are some brilliant bets to come.

Tools down until then.

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