Exciting juvenile Nightwalker among Sir Michael Stoute talent moved on following trainer's retirement

Promising juvenile Nightwalker, one of the most exciting talents to run in Sir Michael Stoute's final campaign as a trainer, has joined John and Thady Gosden.

Stoute had his final runner out of Freemason Lodge at Nottingham on Wednesday, having announced in September his plan to retire after more than half a century as a trainer, a career that produced more than 4,000 winners including 16 British Classics.

Nightwalker has recently made the short trip along Newmarket's Bury Road to the Gosdens as part of a recent dispersal of talent from the Stoute yard. 

Owned by Juddmonte, long-time supporters of Stoute, the 103-rated Nightwalker won on his second start at Yarmouth in September before finishing an excellent third behind subsequent Group 1 Futurity Trophy runner-up Delacroix in the following month's Group 3 Autumn Stakes at Newmarket.

Nightwalker: third behind Delacroix in the Autumn StakesCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Nightwalker is from a family that the Gosdens know well, with his dam Sleep Walk a half-sister to the stable's 2019 St Leger winner Logician.

Other Juddmonte colts have been moved further afield with promising Sandown winner Jonquil joining Andrew Balding and the Frankel colt Pinhole, who showed promise on his sole start at Newmarket last month, going to Ralph Beckett.

Some of the more senior Stoute stock, such as the Juddmonte-owned Nostrum, were sold at the horses-in-training sales at Newmarket last month. The Group 3-placed four-year-old made 120,000gns while seven other Stoute runners were also sold. Some of the stable's fillies are catalogued to be offered up at next month’s Tattersalls December Sales. 

Others to have found new homes include the Saeed Suhail-owned Never So Brave, who has been switched to Andrew Balding. The 101-rated dual winner turned in his best effort when sixth in the Group 3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. He has gone to Kingsclere in Berkshire along with the same owner's two-year-old White Crown Star.

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'It wasn't to be today' - Sir Michael Stoute's farewell runner trails in last amid plenty of goodwill for training giant 

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