 SIR MICHAEL STOUTE WINS UK TRAINERS' CHAMPIONSHIP
BARBADIAN icon Sir Michael Stoute brings much honour to his country as he continues to record great success as a racehorse trainer.
His most recent achievement was winning the 2006 British Racehorse Trainers Championship for the ninth time in his career.
Sir Michael left these shores back in 1965 at the age of 19, to pursue his dream of becoming a racehorse trainer.
Granted a public trainers license in 1972, he started out on his own, setting up his stable in Newmarket. At that time it was felt by most lovers of the sport that it would be extremely difficult for the then young Barbadian to be a success in the field, as he was starting out from scratch in a foreign country. However, with great determination and dedication, Sir Michael, proved that it could be done.
Sir Michael now has the distinction of going on to win the prized British Trainers Championship an incredible nine times.
He won the championship for the first time in 1981. He scored his other successes in 1986, 1989, 1994, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005 and now in 2006, the first time that he has won it in successive years.
Sir Michael's horses recorded 106 wins in 2006, of which 19 were Group Races.
His crop of 2-year-olds won 17 races with earnings of 106,327 (pounds sterling). His 3-year-olds won 73 races, earning 1,541,177 (pounds sterling), and his 4-year-olds and over won 16 races earning 1,374,659 (pounds sterling), for total earnings in 2006 of 3,022,761 (pounds sterling).
His most outstanding horses this year were Notnowcato winning three of six starts, earning 449,462 (pounds); Maraahel winning two of six starts, earning 254,294(pounds); Short Skirt winning two of four, earning 169,176(pounds); Papal Bull winning three of five with earnings of 168,369(pounds); Rob Roy, while only winning one of five starts, earned 164,639(pounds).
Two of his horses won four of six starts each, Stage Gift, and Tam Lin, and between them they earned 190,163(pounds).
Over the years Sir. Michael has saddled over 2600 winners, of which four are winners of the Epsom Derby, Shegar (1981), Shahrastani (1986), Kris Kin (2003), and North Light in (2004).
He has also saddled 24 English and Irish Classic winners, and is the only trainer in the 20th century to have saddled a Classic in five consecutive years.
Sir Michael's success spans the world, with winners of major races in, England, France, United States of America, Canada, Japan, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Hong Kong, Dubai, and elsewhere.
Sir Michael was knighted during the Queen's Birthday honours in 1998 for his service to sport and tourism in Barbados.
He still finds the time to return to Barbados where his love and knowledge of the sport first began. While here, he takes an interest in the horses owned by his family, and can be seen enjoying the races at the Garrison.
Sir Michael continues to make Barbados proud to call him one of our own.
Article written in 2006 and compliments of Charlie Heath
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