How Champions Day still felt Sir Michael Stoute's influence – and proved that his legacy will live on
It would have been hard to believe at the time but, barring something truly extraordinary happening, Bay Bridge in the 2022 Qipco Champion Stakes is going to be the answer to a future quiz question: Who was Sir Michael Stoute’s last ever Group 1 winner?
Back then Stoute not only had another season of Bay Bridge but, even more excitingly, his 2022 Derby hero Desert Crown, whose sad demise the following year seemed in many ways to prove the last straw for his veteran trainer. Indeed, Champions Day came and went this year without a single Stoute runner on the card.
Not that his influence wasn’t keenly felt, however, with James Fanshawe responsible for Kind Of Blue, the 10-1 winner of the Champions Sprint, and Owen Burrows pulling off a major upset in the Champion Stakes courtesy of 40-1 outsider Anmaat.
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