Sir Michael Stoute: Top 5 Royal Ascot Moments

5. Telescope – Hardwicke Stakes 2014

Telescope's repuatation had a habit of preceding him, and after a frustrating three-year-old campaign marred by injury, he arrived at the Hardwicke Stakes as a colt who had very much yet to live up to it, having suffered defeats in the Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown and the Huxley Stakes so far that term. However, any doubts about his ability were quickly allayed at the Royal meeting, as he finally lived up to his reputation by producing a high-class effort to slam a good-quality field, just being nudged into the lead two furlongs out before storming clear to score by seven lengths with a performance which put him right into the mix for the following month's King George, in which he was a three-length second to the John Gosden-trained filly Taghrooda. 

Telescope streaks clear to win the Hardwicke Stakes at #RoyalAscot. Tipped up by @AngusMcNae in his blog. pic.twitter.com/Kx4Xt2BvLE

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) June 21, 2014

4. Marwell– King's Stand Stakes 1981

Marwell was a tremendous sprinter for Sir Michael Stoute, winning 10 of her 13 career starts, and her finest hour perhaps came when winning the King's Stand Stakes during her three-year-old season. Having been Timeform's highest-rated two-year-old filly in Europe the previous season, she was aimed at the 1000 Guineas, though a one-length defeat in that race- when she was found to be in season - saw her concentrated on sprinting thereafter, and she was sent off as the 5/4 favourite in the King's Stand Stakes on her next start, when up against the colts and older horses. Marwell showed a fine burst of acceleration to pick up the lead inside the final furlong and pulled clear to score, with a success which would set the pattern for the season - as she would go on to win the July Cup and Prix de l'Abbaye, and sign off with a top-class Timeform rating of 133. 

3. Poet's Word – Prince of Wales's Stakes 2018

Last year's Prince of Wales's Stakes was supposed to revolve around Cracksman, the champion three-year-old colt from the previous season, who arrived having won both of his first two outings of the season, both in Group 1 company. He was sent off as a 5/2-on chance as a result, but he had conceivable chinks in the armour, having been pushed all the way by Salouen to win the Coronation Cup at Epsom on his most recent outing. Cracksman was delivered to the front two furlongs out under Frankie Dettori, but he had to work hard to do so, and was stalked by the consistent, high-class operator Poet's Word, who loomed up alongside the odds-on favourite under an ultra confident James Doyle and forged clear to upset the odds and record a two and a quarter length success.  

2. Russian Rhythm – Coronation Stakes 2003

Russian Rhythm was one of the leading fillies of her generation as a two-year-old, winning each of her first three starts before suffering defeat to Airwave in the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket. That, along with rumours of some dissapointing work at home during the spring, perhaps explains why she was available at as big as 12/1 for the following season's 1000 Guineas, but she defied market weakness to establish herself as the leading three-year-old filly. As such, Russian Rhythm arrived at the Coronation Stakes as a strong favourite, and was backed as though defeat was out of the question - being sent off a 7/4-on shot. Favourite backers never had a moment of concern, and Russian Rhythm pulled clear to record a length and a half victory over the James Fanshawe-trained Soviet Song in a course record time.  

1. Estimate – Ascot Gold Cup 2013

Although there's plenty to choose from, Sir Michael Stoute's finest hour came in the 2013 Ascot Gold Cup, when training Estimate to victory for the Queen, who became the first reigning monarch to win the meeting's signature race. A winner of the Queen's Vase at the meeting the season before, Stoute had been typically patient with Estimate, and she arrived for the Gold Cup in fine form, having won the Sagaro Stakes over two miles on reappearance at this track the previous month. Estimate was sent off as the 7/2 favourite, though she faced a tough challenge, considering that she was still a four-year-old, and she was tackling the two and a half mile trip for the first time - on just her seventh career start. Having tracked the pace, she edged ahead inside the final furlong under a masterful ride from Ryan Moore, before showing a tremendous attitude to prevail by a quarter of a length, and provide the meeting with one of its most iconic moments.