British racehorse trainer Michael Stoute, born on October 22, 1945, is known for his reluctance to engage with the media, often characterised as a whimsical figure. However, journalists have discovered a pathway to connect with him: cricket. When the topic shifts to cricket, Stoute comes alive; his demeanour transforms, and he emerges from his quiet shell as an enthusiastic and vibrant individual, brimming with energy.
Stoute, a ten-time British Flat Racing Champion, as well as a talented cricketer, avid hunter, and skier, was born in Barbados to a police chief. His passions revolved around sports, racing, and cricket. West Indian cricket legend Michael Holding, a friend of Stoute's, recalls that in his youth, Stoute was among the fastest and most skilled cricketers in Barbados. Before moving to England, he spent three years as a horse racing commentator at Harrison Savannah racetrack, conveniently located next to his family home. During school breaks, he even travelled to Trinidad to commentate for Radio Trinidad.
At the age of 19, Stoute set his sights on becoming a sports commentator and relocated to England. His only contact there was a retired jockey known to his parents, who helped him secure a position as a stand-in commentator for the BBC. Simultaneously, he served as an assistant trainer to Pat Rohan in Yorkshire, where he honed his training skills. Stoute later worked with Dan Smith and Tom Johnson. By 1972, he established his own stable in Newmarket, starting with 15 horses, including one named Sandal, owned by his father. Sandal's victory at Newmarket Racecourse on April 28, 1972, marked the beginning of Stoute's illustrious career, which saw his horses celebrated on global stages.
In recognition of his contributions to horse racing, Stoute was knighted during the Queen's Birthday Awards in 1998, earning the title Sir Michael Stoute. He became a ten-time British champion trainer and the only trainer in the 20th century to secure five consecutive classic wins. His impressive list of victories includes the Breeders Cup, Dubai World Cup, Japan Cup, and Hong Kong Vase, with nearly every horse he trained—such as Shergar, Shahrastani, Kribensis, Pilsudski, Kalanisi, Workforce, and Estimate—becoming legends in their own right.
Shergar (1978-1983)
The perpetually cheerful Stoute grows sombre when he reflects on Shergar, whom he considers the greatest of all his horses. Shergar was owned by Shah Karim al-Husseini, also known as Aga Khan IV, an imam. He had sent the horse to Stoute for training at Newmarket from his Irish stables in 1970 and 1980. On June 3, 1981, under Stoute's guidance, Shergar made history by winning the Epsom Derby by an astounding 10 lengths—the largest margin ever recorded in the race’s history. He followed this remarkable feat with a commanding victory in the Irish Derby on June 27, winning by four lengths with Lester Piggott riding, and clinched the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Cup on July 25. Following Shergar's Epsom Derby triumph, the owner sold 34 shares in the horse for a total of £8.5 million, equating to £250,000 each. Those who purchased shares were given the opportunity to select a mare for insemination, with costs ranging from £60,000 to £80,000.
However, after a perplexing fourth-place finish in the St Leger at Doncaster, Stoute and the owner decided to retire Shergar to stud. Tragically, this is when a shocking incident arose that rocked the racing community. On February 8, 1983, three masked men broke into the home of Shergar's head groom, abducting both him and the horse. While the groom was later released, he was threatened against contacting the Irish police, known as the Garda Síochána. There are claims that the kidnappers were IRA militants who demanded a ransom of £2 million for Shergar's safe return. Despite prolonged negotiations, Aga Khan IV refrained from paying, mainly because the kidnappers failed to provide evidence that Shergar was alive. Moreover, paying the ransom could have encouraged further kidnappings involving other horses.
Sadly, Shergar was never located, and it is widely believed he was killed. The kidnappers ceased communication, and various accounts of his demise emerged; one suggested he injured his leg during transport and was shot, ultimately bleeding to death. His burial site remains a mystery.
Fortunately, the other horses trained by Stoute enjoyed much happier fates.
Kribensis (1984-2007)
Similar to Shergar, who was born in Ireland, Kribensis was owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and was entrusted to trainer Michael Stoute. During the 1989-90 season, Kribensis achieved the remarkable feat of winning the Triple Crown hurdles, which consists of three prestigious two-mile races featuring Grade 1 hurdles. This accomplishment was later matched in the 2022-2023 season by Constitution Hill, trained by Nicky Henderson.
The first leg of the Triple Crown is the Fighting Fifth Hurdle, run in Newcastle over a distance of 2 miles and 46 yards, featuring nine hurdles. The second leg, the Christmas Hurdle, takes place at Kempton Park and covers 2 miles (3719 km), with eight hurdles. The final leg is the Champion Hurdle, held on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse, spanning 2 miles and 87 yards with eight barriers.
Throughout his career, Kribensis made 23 appearances, securing victory in 13 of those races. Although he retired in 1993, Michael Stoute continued to enjoy riding his old companion. In retirement, however, Kribensis became more unruly and often kicked, leading Stoute to eventually stop riding him.
In 2007, Kribensis was euthanised due to inoperable cancer. Stoute, who trained at the Masonic Lodge, expressed that they had worked together for 22 years, and that Kribensis would be deeply missed by everyone at the Lodge.
Pilsudski
Born in 1992, the stallion Pilsudski was the property of Lord Weinstock, an English industrialist, businessman, and managing director of the General Electric Company. As a two-year-old, he displayed average talent, placing sixth and eighth in his initial races, providing little indication of a promising future. However, in 1995, at the age of three, Pilsudski won two handicap races, although his rating still fell short of Group level.
The following year, 1996, marked a turning point in Pilsudski's career. In August, he claimed victory in the Irish Group 3 Royal Whip Stakes, and later that autumn, he triumphed in Germany at the prestigious Group 1 Grosser Preis von Baden, followed by a second-place finish in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. His final race of the year took place at Woodbine, Canada, where he won the Breeders' Cup Turf by a margin of a length and a quarter, marking trainer Michael Stout's first victory in this event. In 1995 alone, Pilsudski secured four wins from eight Group 1 starts, which included victories in the Eclipse Stakes and the Irish Champion Stakes, and again finished second in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. His last win came at the Japan Cup. After retiring from racing, he spent time in the countryside, where he had previously celebrated his last victory in Japan. A few years later, he was purchased by an Irish stud farm, which brought Pilsudski back to his homeland.
Kalanisi (1996-2023)
The brown stallion from Aga Khan IV’s Irish breeding program had an illustrious lineage, tracing back to his great-grandfather, the legendary Nijinsky. Kalanisi made his racing debut as a three-year-old in 1999, achieving victory in all three of his starts: the Maiden Stakes (LS), the Conditions Stakes (LS), and the Heron Stakes (LS).
At the age of four, he captured both the Queen Anne Stakes (G2) and the Champion Stakes (G1) in Great Britain. That same year, he showcased his talent in the United States by winning the Breeders' Cup, overcoming several international contenders. This triumph marked trainer Michael Stoute's second Breeders' Cup win, following Pilsudski's success.
In his five-year-old season, Kalanisi secured victories in two out of five races before his retirement. However, this retirement was not entirely definitive, as Kalanisi went on to sire over 140 foals, with 35 achieving victory on the racetrack.
Estimate (2009)
Queen Elizabeth was the owner of this horse. One of the most outstanding royal horses, which brought its owner a lot of excitement, positive emotions and money.
Estimate is a gift from Aga Khan IV to the Queen. The filly's father was Monsoon, who won the Europa Preis twice, and her mother was Ebasia, who won group races and gave birth to 14 foals, including 8 race winners.
Everything about the Estimate is perfect: pedigree, owner and trainer.
In 2011, as a two-year-old foal, she did not have her best season. At the race in Leicester, she was at the back of the pack for most of the season and finished seventh.
But the following year, she won the race in Salisbury, and then the Queen's Vase at Ascot with jockey Ryan Moore.
In 2013, she won the Sagaro Stakes and in June, she had a stunning victory at the Ascot Gold Cup. It was the first time in history that a reigning monarch had won the coveted Gold Cup with her horse.
The following year, Estimate was second in the Ascot Gold Cup, which was also a great achievement for her. But, unfortunately, the horse was disqualified, removed from second place, because it failed a drug test. It is believed that the drugs were contained in contaminated food, since along with Estimate, four other horses tested positive for the banned drug. Michael Stoute avoided sanctions as a result of the practice of poppy seed defence, since it is believed that poppy seeds can naturally enter the feed, contaminating it.
Estimate's last winning race was the Doncaster Cup, after which the filly was retired to the Royal Stud.
It is impossible to remember all the horses that Michael Stoute trained and led to victory. Some of them went to the rainbow, others continued their breeding careers, and others lived out their days peacefully under the care of loving people on horse farms. Now the famous trainer is almost 80 years old, but he is as fresh, vigorous and cheerful as in the years of his Barbados youth, and continues to train horses at Freemason Lodge Stables in Newmarket. Owners continue to bring their pets to him, knowing that the best of the best will work with them.