'Genius' Stoute, iconic trainer of Shergar, to retire

Stoute trained many winners for the late Queen Elizabeth II in a career lasting more than 50 years

Legendary trainer Sir Michael Stoute has announced he will retire later this year.

The 78-year-old has been champion trainer 10 times, and won more than 4,000 races, including the Derby at Epsom on six occasions.

He took the 1981 Derby with the brilliant Shergar, who was later kidnapped, and landed the 2013 Gold Cup at Ascot with Estimate, owned by Queen Elizabeth II.

"I have decided to retire from training at the end of this season," said the Newmarket trainer.

"I would like to thank all my owners and staff for the support they have given me over the years.

"It has been a great and enjoyable journey."

Stoute was one of the most successful trainers of recent decades.

Starting in 1972, he won a total of 16 British Classics, plus 13 in Ireland.

He claimed some of Flat racing's biggest prizes globally, including the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Japan Cup, Dubai World Cup and at the Breeders' Cup meeting, along with the Champion Hurdle over jumps at Cheltenham in 1990 with Kribensis.

Stoute enoyed a total of 82 winners at the Royal Ascot meeting

'A genius and gentleman' - From Shergar to Estimate

Stoute was known for his patience with horses and trained numerous champions including Harbinger, Shareef Dancer, Singspiel and Pilsudski.

A training career called after he missed out to Julian Wilson in the 1960s for the post of BBC racing correspondent.

Stoute will be forever associated with Shergar, who won the Derby by a record 10 lengths under 19-year-old Walter Swinburn.

The horse was at the centre of a major mystery after being later abducted from the Aga Khan's Irish stud and has never been found.

Five more Derby triumphs followed for the Barbados-born Stoute, starting with Shahrastani, who defeated Dancing Brave in 1986.

Kieren Fallon was in the saddle for his next two Derby triumphs, with Kris Kin in 2003 and North Light a year later.

"He always got the best out of a horse, he was able to take a horse from a two-year-old until they retired and keep finding improvement," said Fallon.

"He was a genius around his horses and a gentleman to ride for."

The Ryan Moore-ridden Workforce was another Derby winner in 2010, in a record time, and went on to win the Arc, while Desert Crown provided a sixth victory in the Epsom race in 2022 under Richard Kingscote.

Moore guided home Estimate in the 2013 Gold Cup to spark joyous scenes.

It was the first time in the race's 207-year history that it had been won by a reigning monarch and featured among a total of 82 career winners at Royal Ascot, a record bettered only by Aidan O'Brien.

Tributes to a training great

Fellow trainer John Gosden: "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."

Bruce Raymond, racing manager for leading owner Saeed Suhail: "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."

Broadcaster Rishi Persad: "Such mixed emotions hearing the news that Sir Michael Stoute will retire at the end of this year. Sad that the era of great trainers from the 1970s and '80s, who dominated for so long, is over. But grateful to have enjoyed the most wonderful memories."