Tag Archive for: Sir Michael Stoute

Passenger out of luck on the Knavesmire – but not out of Derby picture

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Passenger may yet throw his hat into the Derby ring after running with immense promise in defeat in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes at York.

It was hard to know what the Ulysses colt had achieved in beating a field of fellow newcomers in the Wood Ditton at Newmarket, but it appeared significant connections decided him to supplement him for a Derby trial Sir Michael Stoute had already won on a record seven occasions, with Desert Crown doing the double just last season.

Punters on the Knavesmire ultimately agreed, with Passenger the 9-2 favourite by the time the gates opened. But what followed was a tale of woe for his supporters.

Ridden by Richard Kingscote, the Niarchos family-owned runner appeared to be travelling all over his rivals halfway up the home straight, but he could not find a gap for love nor money.

By the time Passenger did get a run, it was all too late, but there was much to like about the way he stayed on to dead-heat for third with Aidan O’Brien’s Continuous, beaten just a couple of lengths by eventual winner The Foxes.

While brief in his assessment of the performance, Kingscote immediately blamed himself, saying: “It was my fault, I couldn’t get him a run. It’s very frustrating.”

A decision on whether Stoute and the Niarchos family will roll the dice at Epsom on June 3 is made more complicated by the fact Passenger is not entered, meaning the owners will again have to stump up a supplementary fee, with the price for adding him to the Derby set at £85,000.

Paddy Power were impressed enough by his performance to make him an 8-1 shot like The Foxes, though, and connections ultimately have a couple of weeks to mull it over.

Sir Michael Stoute at York on Wednesday
Sir Michael Stoute at York on Wednesday (Mike Egerton/PA)

Stoute was not on the Knavesmire, but his assistant James Savage said: “It was a bit of a hard-luck story.

“He was in the stalls a long time, he jumped well and did everything brilliantly for a horse having only his second start after running on a straight mile at Newmarket.

“There’s a lot of positives to be taken out of the race. It didn’t happen for Richard up the straight, but that’s just one of those things.”

Interestingly, the only previous horse to be beaten in the Dante and win the Derby was the Stoute-trained Workforce in 2010.

When asked whether Passenger could bid to emulate the subsequent Arc hero, Savage added: “That is going to be a decision for Sir Michael and the Niarchos family. All I can say is that we’ve learnt he’s able to compete at a very high level with the best three-year-olds.

“I’m not so sure experience got him beat because if the gap had come he would have gone through it.

“He’s took a massive step forward from Newmarket to here and we’ll just see how he is.”

Alan Cooper, racing manager for the owners, said: “I’m afraid he didn’t have the clearest of runs, but it was a great improvement from his first start, so let’s get home and see what Sir Michael would like to do.

“He’s shown that he’s a good horse on only his second start. Let’s regroup.

“The family will follow Sir Michael’s advice.”

White Birch (left) is narrowly beaten by The Foxes in the Dante Stakes at York
White Birch (left) is narrowly beaten by The Foxes in the Dante Stakes at York (Mike Egerton/PA)

Splitting The Foxes and the third-placed pair of Passenger and Continuous was John Murphy’s Irish raider White Birch.

Winner of a heavy ground Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown on his seasonal bow, the grey proved he is equally effective on quicker conditions, charging home from the rear to be beaten only a neck.

Another son of Ulysses, White Birch does hold a Derby entry and appears bound for Epsom. He is 20-1 with Coral.

George Murphy, assistant to his father, said: “He ran a super race, quickened up really well and just bumped into one on the day, but we couldn’t be happier with the run.

“I think the horse himself thought he had it won and the winner just came from out of his vision, but we’re delighted.

“He’s a super mover and a big, powerful horse – ground doesn’t seem to bother him.

“We’ll take him home and see how he comes out of it, but I think he’s more entitled to take his chance in the Derby now. If the owners are happy to go there and he comes out of it well, I think he definitely deserves a crack at it.”

Passenger out to book Derby ticket in Dante

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Impressive Wood Ditton scorer Passenger is entrusted with upholding Sir Michael Stoute’s fine record in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes at York.

Stoute has won the premier Betfred Derby trial seven times throughout his illustrious career and last year sent out Desert Crown to triumph on the Knavesmire before subsequently marching on to Epsom glory.

Now it is the turn of Passenger to stake his Classic claims, and having seen the rain scupper his intended outing at Chester last week, the Ulysses colt was supplemented into this Group Two event at a cost of £14,000.

“Passenger was a non-runner at Chester because of soft ground, but should have the perfect ground for him in the Dante,” said Alan Cooper, racing manager for owner the Niarchos family.

“It will be a big step up from the Wood Ditton, with the Dante being just his second start, and we will learn a bit more about him for the experience.

“It’s a stepping stone and we’ll see how he takes it, and Sir Michael will then make a plan afterwards. The hope is he is confirms the potential of the Wood Ditton and we can take it from there.”

John Gosden has won this three times in the past 10 years – including with Epsom hero Golden Horn – and alongside son Thady, will put Epictetus’ Derby credentials to the test following his success in the Blue Riband Trial last month.

“He won over a mile and a quarter in the Blue Riband on his last start and he steps up in trip this time. Hopefully the track and trip will suit him,” said Thady Gosden.

Epictetus and Frankie Dettori (left) coming home to win the Weatherbys Digital Solutions Blue Riband Trial at Epsom Downs
Epictetus and Frankie Dettori (left) coming home to win the Weatherbys Digital Solutions Blue Riband Trial at Epsom Downs (Simon Marper/PA)

“He’s come out of Epsom really well and fingers crossed he will run a nice race again.”

James Ferguson’s Canberra Legend also has a victory in a key trial to his name, having taken the Feilden Stakes in fine style and the Kremlin Cottage handler is hoping this will give an indication as to how high he should aim the unbeaten son of Australia.

“He was impressive enough in the Feilden and has done everything right so far. He’s ticked all the boxes and his last piece of work was exactly what we wanted,” said Ferguson.

“We’re going there full of confidence, but with the understanding that it is another massive step up. It’s one of the top Derby trials and we’re up against some very good horses.

“Winning a Feilden at Newmarket gives us the confidence we have a good horse on our hands and this is about finding out about how good if everything goes right – whether it is Epsom, Ascot or France.”

Canberra Legend ridden by jockey Daniel Muscutt on their way to winning the bet365 Feilden Stakes at Newmarket
Canberra Legend ridden by jockey Daniel Muscutt on their way to winning the bet365 Feilden Stakes at Newmarket (Tim Goode/PA)

Another heading to the Knavesmire with a perfect record is Aidan’s O’Brien’s Continuous, who won a Group Three in France on his final start at two and will bid to give his handler a fifth Dante as he reappears in the hands of Ryan Moore.

“This looks the most significant Derby trial so far in terms of depth,” Moore told Betfair.

“You can obviously make a case for a few given their unexposed profiles and I suppose none more so than Passenger, who impressed me when winning the Wood Ditton and comes here after being taken out of the Dee Stakes last week because of the ground.

“My colt Continuous is also unbeaten, as is the Feilden winner Canberra Legend, and he comes here in good shape, having showed a lot of ability and a very willing attitude when winning both of his races at two.

“He wouldn’t have the stamina-laden pedigree of some, but the way he won his Group Three in France over a mile in testing ground suggests this trip is well worth trying. I think he is decent, but we shall see. Ideally, he would prefer a bit of dig but good ground on a flat track like York should be fine.”

White Birch ridden by jockey Shane Foley (left) wins the P.W.Mcgrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown
White Birch ridden by jockey Shane Foley (left) wins the P.W.Mcgrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown (Niall Carson/PA)

John Murphy’s Ballysax scorer White Birch is another making the trip from Ireland, having seen his Leopardstown form upheld by the runner-up at the Dublin track recently.

“He’s in super form. We couldn’t be happier with him and we’re looking forward to it,” said George Murphy, assistant to his father.

“This is a bigger test again and it will be good to see what White Birch can now do. It looks a very hot race on paper and everyone is going there thinking they have the winner. Hopefully he is good enough, but he is in good shape and we think he will run a big race.”

Charlie Appleby won the Dante with Hurricane Lane in 2021 and having seen Military Order fly to the top of the Derby betting when scoring at Lingfield on Saturday, now looks to add a second string to his Epsom bow with Flying Honours, who ended a fine juvenile campaign by winning the Zetland Stakes in October.

“Flying Honours was meant to run at Sandown last month, but the meeting was abandoned, so we took him for a racecourse gallop at Newmarket instead,” the Moulton Paddocks handler told godolphin.com.

“We were very pleased with how that went and he goes into this in great order.

“We know that he gets this trip, having won the Zetland on his final two-year-old start, and feel that he has the scope to improve again as we step him up over further. It looks a competitive renewal of the Dante and whoever wins will be a leading player for the Derby.”

Andrew Balding’s The Foxes accounted for Flying Honours when claiming the Royal Lodge at two and made an encouraging return when second in the Craven Stakes last month. The Churchill colt could be suited by the step up to 10 furlongs, as could Roger Teal’s consistent Dancing Magic, who was a place behind in third at Newmarket.

A mile and a quarter could also play to the strengths of the King Of Steel, who created a taking impression on debut at Nottingham last year and was then been deemed good enough to take his chance in a Doncaster Group One shortly after.

He has since joined Roger Varian ahead of his Classic season and the Carlburg Stables handler believes he is giving all the right signals in his work at home.

King Of Steel after winning on debut at Nottingham
King Of Steel after winning on debut at Nottingham (PA)

He said. “He was impressive on his first start last year then he ran in the Group One at Doncaster.

“He has trained like a good horse all spring and we’re looking forward to running him.

“He’s a big horse but light on his feet and we’ll see how he measures up in the Dante, which will give us some direction whether he is an Epsom horse or a horse for one of those races at Royal Ascot.”

Burradon Stakes scorer Dear My Friend and Feilden third Killybegs Warrior both represent Charlie Johnston, while Karl Burke’s Liberty Lane completes the line-up, having chased home Waipiro at Newmarket.

Kingscote eager to get acquainted with Infinite Cosmos

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Richard Kingscote will partner leading Oaks contender Infinite Cosmos for the first time in the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes at York.

Narrowly beaten by the reopposing Sea Of Roses on her Doncaster debut last season, the Sir Michael Stoute-trained filly rocketed to the head of ante-post lists for next month’s Epsom Classic following a runaway success on her reappearance at Newmarket earlier this month.

Ryan Moore was on board Infinite Cosmos on Town Moor and on her Rowley Mile return, but as he is required to ride Lambada for Aidan O’Brien in Wednesday’s Group Three contest, last season’s Derby-winning jockey Kingscote can look forward to being in the saddle on the Stoute runner.

He said: “She’s a nice filly who was impressive at Newmarket. Hopefully we will learn more this week.”

Infinite Cosmos is a hot favourite to enhance her Classic claims faced with seven rivals on the opening afternoon of York’s Dante Festival.

The Andrew Balding-trained Sea Of Roses beat her by a short head at Doncaster seven months ago and must be respected for the rematch after chasing home Andre Fabre’s Pensee Du Jour in a French Group Three on her comeback.

Gather Ye Rosebuds won by nine and a half lengths on her introduction at Newbury last month and is stepped up in class by fledgling trainer Jack Channon.

Novakai and Midnight Mile both bring quality juvenile form to the table for Yorkshire-based trainers Karl Burke and Richard Fahey having finished second in the Fillies’ Mile and fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf respectively.

David Simcock’s once-raced Lingfield winner Empress Wu and John and Thady Gosden’s Soul Sister, who finished last of 12 in the Fred Darling at Newbury a few weeks ago, complete the field.

Circle Of Fire tests Derby credentials at Lingfield

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The King could yet have a Betfred Derby runner during his coronation year as Circle Of Fire attempts to book his ticket to Epsom in the Fitzdares Lingfield Derby Trial Stakes.

The late Queen famously had a Derby runner just days after her own coronation in 1953 when Aureole went down narrowly to Pinza in the Epsom showpiece and 70 years on, the quest to see the famous purple and red silks in the winner’s enclosure after the premier Classic continues.

Trained by Sir Michael Stoute, Circle Of Fire impressed when breaking his maiden at Salisbury on his second start and again caught the eye on reappearance, finishing second in the Newmarket Stakes over 10 furlongs.

He is now stepped up to the Derby distance and is reported to have sharpened up from his Rowley Mile return ahead of this Listed event, which will be run on the all-weather for the first time since 2012 due to waterlogging on Lingfield’s turf course.

Ryan Moore will once again wear the King’s colours aboard Circle Of Fire
Ryan Moore will once again wear the King’s colours aboard Circle Of Fire (David Davies/PA)

“Sir Michael is very pleased with his progress from Newmarket and the extra two furlongs will certainly be to his benefit,” said John Warren, racing manager to the King and Queen.

“This race will give us a good steer as to where to go next.”

One horse that was due to appear in the same Newmarket contest as Circle Of Fire was Ed Walker’s Waipiro – who had won in commanding fashion at the track in his previous start.

However, he was withdrawn after rival Forca Timao kicked out on the way to the start leaving jockey Tom Marquand requiring stitches.

The son of Australia was none the worse for the incident, with the jockey bearing the brunt, and Walker has been quick to reroute his charge to a race in which he tasted success with English King in 2020.

“The plan was obviously to run at Newmarket, which I would have preferred to have done for obvious reasons – it probably wasn’t as strong a race and he was proven over the track and trip,” said Walker.

“The tight nature of this track I don’t think will suit many Derby type horses, but he’s a well-balanced horse and I would rather run on the all-weather than heavy ground.”

He went on: “You don’t tend to get too excited about the trials, because the nature of trials is you walk away most of the time with bubbles burst and going back to the drawing board. We don’t have a heap of mile-and-a-half horses to compare him to, so we need to compare them to other peoples. So we go there knowing as much as you do really.

“The horse is fine, the poor old jockey took the brunt of things last week. He seems really well and I think there is more to come from this horse and he will get better as the season goes on.

“After Saturday we will know which route we are going – hopefully we are going to Epsom, but if not then hopefully it is Royal Ascot. It’s a strong race but he has a good draw and fingers crossed for a big run.”

Charlie Appleby’s Adayar was second in this in 2021 before going on to triumph at Epsom and it is somewhat fitting his brother Military Order will continue his own charge towards the Derby here.

“Military Order goes into this on the back of a good win at Newbury,” the Moulton Paddocks handler told www.godolphin.com.

Military Order after shedding his maiden in style at Newmarket
Military Order after shedding his maiden in style at Newmarket (Adam Morgan/PA)

“We have no real concerns with the switch to the all-weather, while we feel stepping up to this trip will see further improvement. This is his next test that will hopefully propel him on to being a Derby candidate.”

William Haggas’ Laafi was a place behind Military Order when the pair met in a hot Newmarket maiden on debut before winning a Nottingham maiden named after Derby hero Golden Horn on his second start.

The Cloth Of Stars colt could possess plenty of untapped potential moving up in trip, while similar comment applies to the John and Thady Gosden-trained Inquiring Minds who bolted up at Newcastle on his racecourse bow earlier this month for owner-breeder Anthony Oppenheimer.

“I don’t see why he won’t run a nice race, but the opposition looks really strong. This will tell us what kind of standard he is,” said Oppenheimer.

The Kingman colt would have to be supplemented for the Derby if successfully navigating this trial, but does hold an entry for the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot, a race Oppenheimer thinks could suit well.

He continued: “The King Edward is the sort of race one thinks he might enjoy. I would think he will be more suited to Ascot (than Epsom).

“I think he is quite useful, but I don’t think he’s number one in the stable, so I don’t think we can expect too much.”

Andrew Balding’s Ndaawi had his momentum checked in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud last October but had previously won at both Epsom and Goodwood and now makes his reappearance, while the eight-strong line-up is completed by the James Tate-trained pair of Regal Empire and Think First.

Passenger added to Dante field

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Sir Michael Stoute’s Passenger has been supplemented for the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes, with 14 in contention for the York feature.

An impressive winner of the Wood Ditton at Newmarket on debut, it has cost connections £14,000 to add the son of Ulysees into the Betfred Derby trial, which Stoute has won on seven occasions and landed 12 months ago with subsequent Epsom hero Desert Crown.

Passenger would also have to be supplemented into the Derby itself if passing his Knavesmire assignment, something successfully done eight years ago by Golden Horn.

Golden Horn is one of three winners for John Gosden in the last 10 years and alongside son Thady, the Clarehaven team could be represented by Blue Riband Trial winner Epictetus this time around.

Flying Honours looks most likely to run for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin with stablemate Military Order declared for Lingfield on Saturday, while Charlie Johnston already has one Derby candidate in the form of 2000 Guineas fifth Dubai Mile and could bid to add a second string to his bow with Dear My Friend.

Winner of the Burradon Stakes last time, the colt’s owners, Middleham Park Racing, are now dreaming of further glory.

“We’ve got lots of excited owners on our hands at the moment. Very much the dream is still alive! We’ll have a big crowd there next Thursday and they’re just really excited, just to see how his season develops,” said Middleham Park’s Mike Prince.

Dear My Friend ridden by James Doyle wins the talkSPORT Burradon Stakes at Newcastle
Dear My Friend ridden by James Doyle wins the talkSPORT Burradon Stakes at Newcastle (Richard Sellers/PA)

“The syndicate were absolutely delighted with his run at Newcastle – the form is working out nicely,”

“Him and Flight Plan had a ding-dong battle in the final furlong but he was quite comfortably on top in the last 100 yards and looked to be extending away.

“He’s got a lovely, long stride on him and we think that stride-length will come into play when we step him up to a mile and two. We’re pretty adamant that the step up in trip will suit him.”

Cairo and Continuous are possibles for Aidan O’Brien, while John Joseph Murphy’s Ballysax winner White Birch is another potential raider from Ireland.

Free Wind has been added to the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies' Stakes mix
Free Wind has been added to the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies’ Stakes mix (Mike Egerton/PA)

Canberra Legend was a taking winner of the Feilden Stakes and could bid to get his Classic ticket stamped, with the Craven Stakes form represented by Andrew Balding’s The Foxes and Roger Teal’s Dancing Magic, who finished second and third respectively at Newmarket.

In the supporting Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies’ Stakes, the Gosdens have added Free Wind to the line-up at a cost of £11,200, but their star filly Nashwa is a notable absentee.

A maximum of eight will head to post in the 10-furlong contest, with German Oaks winner Toskana Belle a possible to make her debut for Roger Varian and Richard Hannon’s track-and-trip scorer Aristia another name of note.

San Antonio stepping up for Dee Stakes assignment

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Aidan O’Brien has won seven of the last 10 runnings of the Boodles Dee Stakes and attempts to enhance his domination of the Chester contest with San Antonio on Thursday.

The master of Ballydoyle has landed this Listed event with a plethora of Classic contenders in the past and this time around it is the turn of his improving son of Dubawi to put himself in the big-race picture and provide O’Brien with his 10th victory in the contest overall – one short of Barry Hills.

Having shown glimpses of potential at two, he thrived for the step up to 10 furlongs when scoring readily at Dundalk in March and the Betfred Derby entrant will now take the next step up the ladder on what is certain to be testing ground.

“He’s in good form and won his maiden nicely in Dundalk,” said O’Brien.

“I don’t know if he’s run in that ground before, so we’re not sure about that, but he’s in good form.”

Despite O’Brien’s impeccable record, it may prove his son Donnacha has the best chance of upholding the family name when he saddles the highly-regarded Cork scorer Alder.

The Australia colt was third to Auguste Rodin in a Leopardstown Group Two last season and also holding an entry for the Derby this race could prove the biggest test of his Epsom credentials.

“He’s a very nice horse and we’ve always thought a lot of him. He was always going to make a better three-year-old than two-year-old,” said the younger O’Brien.

“It’s nice timing – it’s three weeks from his last run and then about three weeks to the Derby, so it has worked out well. Obviously we will learn a bit more about him as well. Chester is a lot different to Epsom, but it is another tight left-handed track so you will get some kind of idea.”

Local Dynasty hit the target in three of his four starts at two and finished his campaign by winning Pontefract’s Silver Tankard Stakes with 1000 Guineas fourth Caernarfon back in third.

Trainer Charlie Appleby has never won this race, but told www.godolphin.com: “Local Dynasty has done well over the winter and we know that he will handle the ground following his wins at Sandown and Pontefract.

“Stepping up in trip looks as though it should suit and this seems a decent starting point for his campaign.”

Andrew Balding’s Stormbuster was well held at Epsom on his return and although having some smart juvenile form, now has a point to prove, while Lose Your Wad (Charlie Hills) and Afterwards (Ollie Pears) both scored over a mile on the all-weather last time and are upped in both trip and class as they complete the line-up.

Sir Michael Stoute’s Passenger is a notable non-runner due to the ground.

Stoute-trained Infinite Cosmos rockets to Oaks favouritism

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Infinite Cosmos is the new favourite for next month’s Betfred Oaks following an impressive display on her seasonal reappearance at Newmarket.

Narrowly beaten on her debut at Doncaster in the autumn, the Sir Michael Stoute-trained daughter of Sea The Stars was already a single-figure price for the Epsom Classic with some bookmakers ahead of her return in the Nyetimber Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.

With Ryan Moore in the plate, Infinite Cosmos was the 8-11 favourite to cement her Classic claims and did so in some style, overcoming signs of inexperience to score by just over four lengths.

Stoute did his best to downplay her performance in the immediate aftermath, but Paddy Power nevertheless make her their 6-1 market leader from 8-1 for the Oaks, while Unibet were even more impressed and offer just 4-1.

“It was very pleasing. I didn’t think she was particularly impressive there, she was workmanlike, but she is a work in progress and still a little bit green and babyish, so hopefully that will have done her the power of good,” said the Freemason Lodge handler.

“I’d say she’s developed pleasingly from two to three. They don’t all do that, but I’d say she has.

“We’ll take her back and work her and see how much we think she has progressed from this race, but hopefully she’s going to be in stakes races.

“We’ll run her in a trial and make a decision (on the Oaks) after that. I don’t think she’s going to be sparkling at this stage of her career as she needs to grow up.

“The ground was very soft at Doncaster and she went through that and today it’s on the slow side of good and she handles that. I think she may be impervious to ground.”

Soprano strides clear at Newmarket
Soprano strides clear at Newmarket (David Davies/PA)

Soprano appears to have booked her ticket to Royal Ascot after justifying cramped odds on her first competitive start in the British EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.

Plenty was expected of George Boughey’s Highclere-owned juvenile as the 6-4 favourite and she came up with the goods, passing the post with just under two lengths in hand to complete a treble on the card for champion jockey William Buick.

Dramatised won the five-furlong contest last year before going on to land the Queen Mary at the Royal meeting, but Boughey views the extra furlong of the Albany Stakes as a more suitable target for Soprano – a race in which the trainer’s subsequent 1000 Guineas heroine Cachet finished fifth in 2021.

Boughey said: “It’s always a case of first day at school and I do think she’ll step up for that. She was a bit green at one point, but she’s bred to get further and we thought that if she could get to the dip she’d come out of it really well.

“I was keen to come to the track earlier than we did with Cachet as they need to learn and she was still doing that there. She probably needs another run before (Royal Ascot), I don’t really know where but the Albany has got to be the plan. ”

The Gatekeeper (100-30 favourite) galloped his rivals into submission in the Nyetimber Handicap under Andrea Atzeni, keeping enough up his sleeve from the front to score by a length from Star Of Orion.

Owners Middleham Park Racing were completing a quickfire double following the victory of Shouldvebeenaring in the preceding King Charles II Stakes.

The Gatekeeper (centre) winning at Newmarket
The Gatekeeper (centre) winning at Newmarket (David Davies/PA)

The Gatekeeper’s trainer Charlie Johnston said: “Fair play to the the Middleham Park team as they’ve had to be very patient with this horse. He was a very talented two-year-old and missed the guts of two years through injury, so it’s great that they retained the faith and he’s paying them back in spades.

“After two furlongs I thought it was game over after they gave him an easy lead as we know he stays further. I thought if he was in front coming out of the dip he wasn’t going to get caught and his last furlong was his best furlong.

“He’s going to be flexible between seven furlongs and a mile and we’ll work back from the Buckingham Palace at Royal Ascot.”

And Johnston and Atzeni got in the double act themselves, when Outbreak (9-2 joint-favourite) took the concluding Race Horse Lotto Handicap.

Iresine downs big guns in Prix Ganay

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Champion Stakes hero Bay Bridge could finish only third as Iresine came from last to first to cause a minor upset in the Prix Ganay at ParisLongchamp.

Making his first appearance since edging out Derby and King George hero Adayar on Champions Day at Ascot in October, Sir Michael Stoute’s Bay Bridge was sent off favourite to double his top-level tally in what appeared a strong renewal of the first Group One of the year in Europe.

The five-year-old raced with plenty of exuberance for much of the 10-furlong contest before being delivered with his challenge in the straight by Ryan Moore – and while he ultimately came up a little short, connections were justifiably encouraged by his performance.

Bay Bridge (second left) winning the Champion Stakes at Ascot
Bay Bridge (second left) winning the Champion Stakes at Ascot (John Walton/PA)

“I thought he ran a very good race, a very courageous race and got a little bit tired. For his first run of the season I think it was a very good performance,” part-owner James Wigan told Sky Sports Racing.

“Ryan said he wished they’d gone a little bit faster early on, he was quite keen. He said he came there thinking he was going to win and conditions told a little bit.

“He’s a big, strong horse and I think the race will do him good.”

When asked where Bay Bridge could make his next appearance, he added: “I would think the Tattersalls Gold Cup in Ireland or else Ascot (Prince of Wales’s Stakes).”

Iresine, trained by Jean-Pierre Gauvin, won the Prix Foy at ParisLongchamp in September before successfully stepping up to just shy of two miles to win the Group One Prix Royal-Oak.

He was narrowly beaten by the reopposing Simca Mille on his reappearance in the Prix d’Harcourt three weeks ago, but raised his game to turn the tables – charging home under a well judged ride from Marie Velon to score by a length and a quarter.

Velon said: “He’s a very special horse, he was amazing today and knew his job very well.

“He’s a very good horse who can do anything (trip-wise). I don’t know if he will go the Grand Prix de Chantilly or the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.”

Simca Mille beat Bay Bridge to the runner-up spot by a head, with Vadeni – winner of the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown last summer before being placed in the Irish Champion Stakes and the Arc – never threatening to land a telling blow in fourth.

Sir Michael Stoute and Sea The Stars latest to join Hall of Fame

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Sir Michael Stoute and Sea The Stars are the two most recent inductees into the Qipco British Champions Series Hall of Fame.

A presentation at the Qipco Guineas Festival at Newmarket on Saturday will mark the occasion after both were chosen by an independent panel of industry experts.

Stoute, 77, becomes the first active trainer to be inducted and is just the third overall as he joins Vincent O’Brien and Sir Henry Cecil in receiving the honour.

Also a 10-times champion Flat trainer, Stoute has saddled more than 4,000 winners in Britain since 1972 and has enjoyed six Derby victories – including the mighty Shergar, who won by a record 10 lengths in 1981, and Workforce in 2010, who still holds the record time.

Desert Crown winning the Derby
Desert Crown winning the Derby (Tim Goode/PA)

Stoute’s most recent Derby success came just last season, as Desert Crown claimed Epsom glory in the hands of Richard Kingscote.

Stoute has also accumulated a record 82 winners at Royal Ascot, including Estimate’s unforgettable Gold Cup triumph for the late Queen in 2013, and no one has trained more winners of prestigious prizes such as the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes (six), Juddmonte International (six), Eclipse (six), Lockinge (eight), Falmouth Stakes (six) and Yorkshire Oaks (nine).

“I am very flattered and most grateful to have been inducted into the Qipco British Champions Series Hall of Fame. Of course, it has only been made possible by good horses, talented and dedicated staff, and loyal owners,” said the Freemason Lodge handler.

“To be inducted into the Hall of Fame and joining Vincent O’Brien, who was my hero and probably the greatest trainer that has ever lived, and Henry Cecil, who was also a very good friend. I’m very, very grateful.

“You never forget your first Derby winner. Shergar had won his Derby trials in outstanding fashion. So he was odds on, he was expected to win, we expected him to win, but it was still a great thrill. I think he won by about ten lengths and (Walter) Swinburn was pulling him up by the last furlong.”

Mick Kinane with the incomparable Sea The Stars at Epsom
Mick Kinane with the incomparable Sea The Stars at Epsom (Daniel Hambury/PA)

Sea The Stars was a superb racehorse whose only loss came on his first ever start, after which he was trained by John Oxx to eight successes that gained him nearly £4.5million in prize-money.

As a three-year-old he dominated the sport with a remarkable run of six consecutive Group One races, all of which he won.

He secured back-to-back Classic wins in the 2000 Guineas and the Derby, after which he claimed the Eclipse, the Juddmonte International, the Irish Champion Stakes and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

His second career at stud has been equally successful, with the now 17-year-old having sired a whole host of top-class performers including Baaeed, Stradivarius, Crystal Ocean and Harzand.

Mick Kinane, who was ever present in the saddle during Sea The Stars’ racing career, said: “The first time I rode him, he was the first horse I sat on that morning. I turned him in and did a half speed back, I popped off him and said ‘This fella finds going quick very easy, he’s a beauty’. That’s exactly what I said, the first time I sat on him.”

Stoute newcomer Passenger enjoys Newmarket stroll

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Sir Michael Stoute is keen to let the dust settle on Passenger’s impressive debut in the bet365 Wood Ditton Maiden Stakes at Newmarket before considering the next plan of attack.

A field of eight unraced three-year-olds went to post for what is traditionally a strong contest run over the Rowley Mile, with Passenger an 11-1 shot in the hands of Ryan Moore.

Andrew Balding’s well-supported 5-4 favourite New Business set out to make all the running, but was reeled in by both the William Haggas-trained Kathab and Niarchos-owned Ulysses colt Passenger, who stretched three lengths clear at the line.

The winner does not currently hold any big-race entries and Stoute will take his usual patient approach.

“He’s very straightforward, he’d done plenty of work and did it very professionally,” said the Freemason Lodge handler.

“He was a little bit noisy before the race, but he was fine once Ryan got on him.

“None of the horses in the race had run, so you don’t know what the opposition is, but we like him and today was finding out time.

“We felt the Wood Ditton over a mile was a nice starting point, but I think we’ll go a mile and a quarter next time.

“We’ve got to sit back and think and give him a couple of pieces of work once he’s freshened up. There are no plans at the moment.”

Prepense in the clear at Newmarket
Prepense in the clear at Newmarket (Tim Goode/PA)

Stoute and Moore also combined to secure top honours in the Rossdales Maiden Fillies’ Stakes, with 15-8 favourite Prepense opening her account at the third attempt.

Runner-up to subsequent Fillies’ Mile heroine Commissioning on her July course debut before suffering a short-priced reverse at Chester, the daughter of Kingman showed the benefit of a wind operation on her reappearance – quickening smartly and keeping just enough up her sleeve to repel the late charge of Spring Dawn by half length.

Stoute said: “She did that nicely and is getting more professional, she just hasn’t fully grown up mentally yet, but she’s got plenty of talent and it’s coming together.

“We don’t have any plans, but she’s a filly we’ll be looking for some black type for pretty soon.”

Once More for Luck (centre) won the opening race at Newmarket
Once More for Luck (centre) won the opening race at Newmarket (Tim Goode/PA)

Once More For Luck was a 28-1 winner of the bet365 Handicap for trainer Ismail Mohammed and jockey Benoit De La Sayette.

Making his first appearance since finishing sixth at 250-1 in the Middle Park Stakes in the autumn, the three-year-old made a successful handicap debut by one and a quarter lengths.

Mohammed’s assistant Jose Santos said: “Last season was a tough season for him, the Middle Park was his seventh race and it was too many races in too short a time.

“He’s a horse who is developing really well. He is in the Group Two at York (Duke of York Stakes) and if he is well he will go for it and if he is successful the next target will be the July Cup.”