Tributes pour in for Sir Michael Stoute on news of impending retirement

Ashley Iveson
September 10, 2024 12:38 pm

‘There might be someone in the world as good, but there is no one better’.

Tributes have been paid to Sir Michael Stoute after the training great announced his intention to retire at the end of the season.

Stoute’s career has been long and immensely successful, leaving him with a record that includes all of the British Classics and a huge array of top-class races around the world.

Based at Freemason Lodge in Newmarket, Stoute has been a key figure in the industry for many years and is broadly respected by his peers for his intuitive and patient approach to training.

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.”

2016 Qatar Goodwood Festival – Day Two – Goodwood Racecourse — Trainer Sir Michael Stoute (John Walton/PA)

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!

Cazoo Derby Festival 2022 – Derby Day – Epsom Racecourse — Desert Crown winning the Derby in 2022 (Tim Goode/PA)

“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.”