Sir Michael Stoute out of luck with final runner as Wanderlust comes last at Nottingham

Sir Michael Stoute was denied a fairytale ending to his remarkable career when Wanderlust, expected to be the legendary trainer's final runner, finished last in the 1m6f handicap won by Rock N Roll Pinkie. 

The three-year-old failed to fire under Richard Kingscote, who rode Stoute's 16th British Classic winner when steering Desert Crown to victory in the 2022 Derby, the trainer's sixth success in a race he first won with Shergar. 

Stoute, who has no more entries before the end of the turf season concludes at Doncaster on Saturday, announced his plan to retire before the end of the year in September after a remarkable career spanning six decades. He sent out his first winner in 1972 when Sandal scored at Newmarket under Lester Piggott.

Wanderlust: Sir Michael Stoute's final runner at NottinghamCredit: Steven Cargill

Kingscote, Stoute's go-to jockey in recent years, was on board for the trainer's final success at the top level when Bay Bridge won the 2022 Champion Stakes, and for his final Group-race win with Passenger in the Huxley Stakes in May.

Stoute has sent out more than 4,000 winners and was leading trainer at Royal Ascot six times for a total of 82 winners, a record bettered only by Aidan O'Brien. As well as winning 16 British Classics, Stoute enjoyed plenty of success globally, including in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and at the Breeders' Cup. 

The last dance - analysing Sir Michael Stoute's last year as a trainer

Sir Michael Stoute’s final year as a trainer featured a reduction in runners to 164 in Britain, but he still comfortably surpassed half a million in prize-money and had Group-race success.

Passenger undoubtedly provided Stoute with his biggest day of the year when defying 258 days off the track to post a huge career-best performance in the Huxley Stakes at Chester, form which worked out well when the runner-up Israr went one better at Royal Ascot next time. Unfortunately, the classy son of Ulysses was only able to have one more outing, finishing third in a messy York Stakes, with another injury setback reported in the aftermath.

Useful handicap wins from Never So Brave and Hosanna Power helped Stoute to a particularly productive May (five winners from 19 runners).

However, it was the promise of some smart two-year-olds that characterised the final few months of Stoute’s training career, both before and after his retirement announcement in September.

Passenger: gave Sir Michael Stoute the biggest win of his final year in trainingCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Eight of his 26 winners in Britain came from the juvenile ranks (from just 31 outings) and they were headlined by Cheveley Park Stud’s Anna Swan. She bolted up on her debut and followed up at Newbury before coming up short in the Fillies’ Mile, the final Group 1 runner of Stoute’s career.

Formal is another name to remember from the final Stoute campaign. She read the script when following up her debut win at Newbury with another taking success at Leicester, just hours after news of Stoute’s impending retirement emerged. She failed to make the jump to Group 2 company subsequently.

Stoute’s final Group 1 winner was Bay Bridge in the 2022 Champion Stakes, four months after Desert Crown had dominated the Derby to provide the master of Freemason Lodge with what turned out to be a final British Classic.

Read this next:

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

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