Sir Michael Stoute© Photo Healy Racing
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.”
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.”
