BLACK FRIDAY

Six of the best Sir Michael Stoute winners at Royal Ascot

Last Updated: Tue 5 Dec 2023

Sir Michael Stoute has trained 75 Royal Ascot winners and requires one more this week to overhaul Sir Henry Cecil and create a new record. Andy Stephens recalls six of his best winners at the meeting - plus watch him look back at the victories of Marwell and Estimate

By Andy Stephens

MARWELL:

King's Stand Stakes 1981

The highest-rated filly of her generation in Europe at two (when unbeaten in five starts) and three years of age, Marwell will be remembered as a specialist sprinter, although she was beaten only a length in the 1000 Guineas when later found to be in season. Following that defeat, Stoute focused on speed tests and her superb success in the King's Stand, when 5-4 favourite, set the pattern for the months that followed. She went on to win the July Cup and Prix de l'Abbaye. When retired at the end of the season, she had won ten of her 13 races and finished second on two other occasions. She went on to become a successful broodmare.

SONIC LADY:

Coronation Stakes 1986

The Sheikh Mohammed-owned filly had an equal mix of talent and temperament but was on her best behaviour at the royal meeting, running out an impressive two-length winner under Walter Swinburn from Embla and Someone Special. The Nureyev filly went on to win the Sussex Stakes and Prix du Moulin, having previously landed the Irish 1,000 Guineas. Her one blip that season was when getting unsettled before the start and fluffing her lines when hot favourite for the 1000 Guineas but she put that behind her to play a part in Stoute winning the trainers’ title for a second time.

SHAADI:

St James’s Palace Stakes 1989

After drawing a blank at Royal Ascot in 1988, Stoute could have been forgiven for wondering what the 1989 meeting had in store him - especially after rumours that Irish 2000 Guineas winner Shaadi had worked poorly in the build-up to the meeting. Walter Swinburn took the Sheikh Mohammed-owned colt to the front from the start - tactics never previously deployed on the colt - and Shaadi seemed to enjoy the freedom, making all on the 6-4 favourite and running on stoutly to beat Greensmith by two lengths. It was to prove something of a last hurrah as Shaadi failed to make an impact in the Sussex Stakes next time, or on his final start in France in the autumn.

KALANISI:

Queen Anne Stakes 2000

The Queen Anne was only a Group Two event in 2000 but there was no shortage of quality in the field, with triple Group One Aljabr and classy French raider Dansili heading the betting. Swallow Flight, who had beaten Kalanisi in a Listed race at Windsor the previous month when the latter was having his first start for Stoute (he had been trained by Luca Cumani before then), was also in the line-up. Kalanisi, owned by the Aga Khan, was clearly sharper for that Windsor run and, in a terrific contest, came with a strong late run under Kieren Fallon to prevail by half a length from Dansili with Swallow Flight another short away in third. Kalanisi went on to finish a head runner-up to Giant’s Causeway in the Coral-Eclipse and Juddmonte International before winning the Dubai Champion Stakes, at the main expense of Montjeu, and at the Breeders’ Cup.

RUSSIAN RHYTHM:

Coronation Stakes 2003

Having won the 1,000 Guineas on her reappearance, Russian Rhythm was backed as if defeat were out of the question at the royal meeting and was sent off at 4-7. Odds-on backers never really had a moment’s concern, with Kieren Fallon’s mount gaining an emphatic length and a half win over Soviet Song in a record time. In the process, the Cheveley Park-owned filly became the first 1,000 Guineas winner to scoop the Ascot race for 24 years. Russian Rhythm went on to land the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood before finishing a valiant second to Falbrav in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes back at Ascot.

ESTIMATE:

Gold Cup 2013

Of all his Royal Ascot victories, Stoute says this is the one that ranks above all others and it is little wonder. Owned by the Queen, Estimate edged out Simenon by a neck in a pulsating renewal of the year’s most prestigious staying contest. Pictures of Her Majesty transfixed by the final moments, surrounded by her family, were shown all over the globe. The racecourse resonated with joy - no doubt helped by the fact that Estimate was sent off a well-backed 7-2 favourite. Estimate had also won at the meeting the previous year, when landing the Queen’s Vase, and finished runner-up when defending her Gold Cup crown a year later, albeit she was later disqualified.

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