Tag Archive for: Formal

Anna Swan could fly Fillies’ Mile flag for Stoute

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Cheveley Park Stud still have hope of sending Sir Michael Stoute into retirement with a major victory, with their exciting filly Anna Swan a possible for Friday’s bet365 Fillies’ Mile.

The Freemason Lodge handler has successfully managed some of the owner-breeders’ finest assets down the years, turning the likes of Russian Rhythm and Medicean into champions and also conquering America with Breeders’ Cup heroine Queen’s Trust.

Stoute has trained more than 35 individual Group-race winners for Cheveley Park and Anna Swan could yet add her name to that tally after impressing at both Yarmouth on debut and in a Newbury conditions event most recently.

As well as Newmarket’s Group One feature on Friday, the daughter of Almanzor also holds an entry for the same day’s Group Three Godolphin Lifetime Care Oh So Sharp Stakes, with discussions between trainer and owner prior to declarations determining how high connections aim.

“It’s very exciting and she’s in both the Fillies’ Mile and Oh So Sharp,” explained Chris Richardson, Cheveley Park’s managing director.

“We’ll be discussing the options with Mrs Thompson and Sir Michael in due course and it would be great if she could fly the flag for him in either of those two races – and she’s in great form.

“The intention is to run in one of those, all being well.”

Formal with Ryan Moore in the winner's enclosure at Leicester
Formal with Ryan Moore in the winner’s enclosure at Leicester (Adam Morgan/PA)

It was fellow Stoute-trained two-year-old Formal who generated plenty of excitement prior to her run in the Rockfel Stakes recently and although bitterly disappointing when sent off at odds of 7-4 for the Group Two event, connections are eager to draw a line through the performance of the previously impressive Leicester scorer.

“Formal just didn’t run her race and maybe she was just over the top,” continued Richardson.

“She was just never really going, she was a little bit free and just unsettled and I think that just wasn’t her. I think we draw a line through that and go again next year.”



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Formal seeking final Rockfel success for Stoute

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Formal is out to give Sir Michael Stoute a fourth and final victory in the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket on Friday, with his glittering training career nearing an end.

The Cheveley Park-owned and bred filly has an incredibly smart pedigree as she is by Dubawi and out of Veracious, a Group One-winning Frankel mare who was also trained by Stoute.

Formal saw off two subsequent winners when making a winning debut at Newbury in July and followed up in some style at Leicester earlier this month to earn herself a move to Group Two level, although her participation is ground dependent.

“We just have to make sure the ground is going to be fine, but the intention is to run,” said Cheveley Park’s managing director Chris Richardson.

“She came out of her last race well and obviously Sir Michael is happy with her, so we look like we’re going to be stepping out again and stepping up hopefully.

“It would be great to win a nice race for Sir Michael before the season is over. Hopefully Formal and Anna Swan, who could run in the Fillies’ Mile next month or the Oh So Sharp Stakes on the same day, can progress between them to give him a bit of a swansong.”

Aidan O’Brien fires a twin assault, with stable jockey Ryan Moore siding with Ecstatic over her stablemate Bubbling, who will be ridden by Sean Levey.

Tipperary maiden winner Ecstatic was last seen finishing fifth in the May Hill Stakes at Doncaster, while Bubbling placed third in the Listed Ingabelle Stakes at Leopardstown last time out.

Ryan Moore rides Ecstatic in the Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket
Ryan Moore rides Ecstatic in the Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket (Mike Egerton/PA)

“Ecstatic progressed nicely from her debut at Leopardstown to win on her second start at Tipperary, keeping on well to comfortably land the race in the final stages,” Moore told Betfair.

“She was then disappointing at Doncaster when last seen in the Group Two May Hill Stakes, stumbling when coming out of the stalls, but hopefully she can learn from that.

“She went on to finish fifth behind some talented fillies in Desert Flower and stablemate January and she is probably the form horse in the race, although it does look an open contest.

“Bubbling ran a nice race at Leopardstown during the Irish Champions Festival, just being bumped when coming out the stalls but stayed on well, only finishing a length back in third behind Chantez who looks a nice horse.

“It is an open race with Formal also in there who I rode to victory last time out at Leicester, but both Aidan’s fillies’ look to have their chances.”

Other contenders include Archie Watson’s Prestige Stakes runner-up Duty First and the Ed Walker-trained Troia, who has not been seen in competitive action since making a successful start to her career Newbury in mid-July.



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Formal-ity wholly appropriate for Stoute at Leicester

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On the day Sir Michael Stoute announced he will retire at the end of the season, Formal proved an appropriate winner for the Freemason Lodge handler at Leicester.

And on this evidence Stoute could have one final big-race aspirant before the curtain comes down on his career, after the daughter of Dubawi – out of Stoute’s Group One-winning Veracious – confirmed the promise of her racecourse bow at Newbury.

Fittingly ridden by Stoute’s long-time ally Ryan Moore, Formal was sent off the 8-13 favourite for the British EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes, dashing home two and a half lengths clear of the opposition in the wet ground, looking a top-class prospect in the process.

She was shortened to 20-1 by Paddy Power for next season’s 1000 Guineas, but more imminently cut to 8-1 from 14’s for the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Rockfel Stakes later this month.

“It was very impressive and I think Ryan was very taken with her,” said Chris Richardson, managing director for owners Cheveley Park Stud.

“We were a little bit concerned about the ground as the ground had changed, but I think it was very appropriate on such a day that a daughter of Veracious could come and win and we have fond memories of her winning the Falmouth in 2019.

“She handled it at Newbury and I think her class was in evidence this afternoon and hopefully there is much to look forward to.

“Obviously we will discuss options moving forward with Sir Michael and Patricia Thompson.”

On Cheveley Park’s enduring association with Stoute, one that has featured the brilliant Russian Rhythm and the likes of Breeders’ Cup heroine Queen’s Trust, Richardson said: “It’s been a wonderful relationship, Patricia Thompson and Cheveley Park have had horses with him for over 40 seasons.

Sir Michael Stoute with Russian Rhythm and Kieren Fallon
Sir Michael Stoute with Russian Rhythm and Kieren Fallon (Andrew Parsons/PA)

“He’s an iconic trainer and a very talented and amazing horseman really. It has been a pleasure for me to work with him over the years and hopefully we have a few more big days to go before the end of the season.

“It’s been a wonderful association and I’m sure he will be much missed, but I’m sure he will have plenty more to offer. It’s been a sensational relationship and to think we have had over 37 individual Group winners trained by Sir Michael.

“It’s the end of an era and I still haven’t worked out his secret for watching a gallop. He always used to amaze me, he could see more than I ever could understand. If it had gone well there would usually be a ‘bum diddy bum’ and he’d whistle Don’t Cry For Me Argentina as he walked off the gallop.”

Stoute’s assistant trainer is James Savage, who said the yard will “keep punching” to the end of the campaign.

“We’ve had some great times over many, many years and there’s some great memories,” said Savage.

“I think all the plaudits he will be given will be thoroughly deserved. He’s done everything really, all around the world.

“He’s always been very appreciative of the nice horses he has been given to train, of the owners and of the staff also. All good things come to an end and it’s a sad day really but I’m just really glad to have been part of it.

“It’s been a great journey and that is something all the staff and owners will say. He’s a fantastic man and he always had time for anyone who wanted to ask a question. Let’s hope he has a very happy retirement.”

On his future, Savage added: “I’m not sure at the moment, Sir Michael said to me yesterday we have got to keep punching, doing what we do and keep the standards high.

“Then I will regroup and see what I can do for the future, but whatever happens, it has been great.”



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