Trainers / Owners

In a nutshell, yes, he did, with three different horses in as many years. Arguably the greatest racehorse trainer of all time, Michael Vincent O’Brien, generally known by his middle name, excelled under National Hunt rules in the early years of his career. By the time he trained his first winner of the Grand National, Early Mist, in 1953, he had already saddled Cottage Rake to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup three times, in 1948, 1949 and 1950 and Hatton’s Grace to win the Champion Hurdle three times, in 1949, 1950 and 1951. He had also purchased Ballydoyle House, near Cashel, in Co. Tipperary, which he would subsequently establish as the foremost training centre in Ireland.

On March 28, 1953, Early Mist, owned by ‘Mincemeat Joe’ Griffin and ridden Bryan Marshall, made amends for falling at the first fence in the 1952 Grand National by winning ‘very easily, by 20 lengths. Carrying 11st 2lb, the eight-year-old led by 9 lengths at the final fence and only had to be pushed out with hands and heels to draw further away on the run-in. Twelve months later, on March 27, 1954, the same connections won the Grand National again, with the ten-year-old Royal Tan who, like Early Mist, had been notoriously difficult to train. He, too, led over the final fence, but was ultimately all out to hold the rallying Tudor Line by a neck.

Twelve months later still, on March 26, 1955, O’Brien completed his unprecedented hat-trick in the Grand National when Quare Times, a nine-year-old owned by Mrs. Cecily Welman and ridden by Pat Taafe, made light of conditions so testing that the Water Jump was omitted due to waterlogging to win ‘easily’ by 12 lengths. Tudor Line kept on at one pace to finish second for the second year running, while Early Mist and Royal Tan, carrying 12st 3lb and 12st 4lb, respectively, plugged on to finish ninth and twelfth.

Sir Michael Stoute is a British Thoroughbred horse trainer who has excelled in the Sport of Kings. In fact, he has been training for over five decades making him one of the longest serving handlers in the country. He has excelled at training and 10-times Champion Trainer most often associated with Epsom Derby winner Shergar.

Here are 11 facts you may not know about Sir Michael Stoute.

1) Stoute was born in the Barbados, 1945. His father was the chief of police who instilled his love of horse racing to his son.

2) He left Barbados in 1964 at the age of 19 to be assistant trainer to Pat Rohan.

3) He began training on his own in 1972. His first winner was a horse called Sandal won at Newmarket, owned by his father.

4) Stoute was knighted in 1998 Birthday Honours List for the promotion of sports tourism in Barbados.

5) The only trainer in the 20^th century to win 5 consecutive Classic races.

6) In 2008 he was inducted into the Hall of Fame for British Horse Trainers.

7) He has been a Champion Trainer 10 times (1981 – 2009).

8) In 1981 Derby winner Shergar was stolen and never found.

9) International victories include The Dubai World Cup, Breeders’ Cup, Japan Cup & Hong Kong Vase.

10) In 1990, he achieved the remarkable feat of training Kribensis to win the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham. A notable victory on the National Hunt for a Flat horse trainer.

11) Sir Michael Stoute currently trains horses at Freemason Lodge Stables, Bury Road, Newmarket, England.

Sir Michael Stoute’s dedication, expertise and passion have made him one of the most respected horse trainers in the world. In fact, he has achieved a career of unparalleled success. Unlike many, he has adapted to change and been an innovator within his sport. His dominance at Royal Ascot and awards and honours is a testament to his enduring legacy.

Along with the Stayers’ Hurdle, the Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase and Cheltenham Gold Cup comprise the four main ‘championship’ races staged annually at the Cheltenham Festival in March. The Cheltenham Gold Cup was first run, as a steeplechase, in 1924, the Champion Hurdle was first run in 1927 and the Queen Mother Champion Chase was first run, as the National Hunt Two-Mile Champion Chase, in 1959. However, in the six or so decades the races have co-existed, just one trainer has saddled the winner of all three in the same season.

The trainer in question is, of course, Henry de Bromhead, who is based in Knockeen, Co. Waterford and, in 2021, enjoyed an extraordinary four-week period in March and April. At the Cheltenham Festival, he saddled six winners, including not only an historic treble for Honeysuckle, Put The Kettle On and Minella Indo in the aforementioned championship races, but also Bob Olinger in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle, Telmesomethinggirl in the Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle and Quilixios in the Triumph Hurdle. Three weeks later, de Bromhead saddled Minella Times and Balko Des Flos to finish first and second in the Grand National at Aintree.

Prior to 2021, the last trainer to win the Champion Hurdle and the Cheltenham Gold Cup in the same season was Kim Bailey, who did so with Alderbrook, ridden by Richard Dunwoody, and Master Oats, ridden by Norman Williamson, in 1995. Bailey did not have a runner in the Queen Mother Champion Chase that year although, just over three weeks after his Gold Cup victory, Master Oats was sent off 5/1 favourite to become the first horse since the legendary Golden Miller to complete the Cheltenham Gold Cup – Grand National double. He didn’t, of course, weakening on the flat to finish seventh of 35 finishers, 15¾ lengths behind the winner, Royal Athlete.