Retiring trainer has won Newmarket contest three times previously.
As a patriarchal figure contemplates his ultimate bow from the training ranks, so Sir Michael Stoute waits for a lasting ambition that will perhaps wind up his spectacularly successful career on one last victory when the promising filly Formal runs in the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket on Friday. With a pedigree that reads like her early performances, Formal takes her chance to bring a marked victory for both her legendary trainer and her connections at Cheveley Park. A daughter of Dubawi out of the Group One-winning Frankel mare Veracious, Formal's pedigree has class written all over it.
A promising debut at Newbury in July, in which she beat two subsequent winners, signals that she may be a force to reckon with. Her second-up success at Leicester earlier this month hinted at her preparation to challenge further up the pecking order, and she has now stepped up into Group Two company in the Rockfel Stakes, although it is dependent on the going being satisfactory. "We just have to make sure the ground is fine, but the intention is to run," said Cheveley Park's managing director, Chris Richardson. "She came out of her last race well, and Sir Michael is happy with her, so we're stepping up, hopefully. It would be great to win a nice race for Sir Michael before the season is over."
Formal looks impressive in the British EBF Fillies' Novice Stakes with Ryan Moore onboard!
An excellent result for Sir Michael Stoute who announced his retirement earlier today! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/aXW3EYQF4j
— Leicester Racecourse (@LeicesterRaces) September 10, 2024
For Formal, the biggest test of her career comes close at hand in an open contest from which Aidan O'Brien's dual-pronged attack of Ecstatic and Bubbling is expected to be the most dangerous challenger. Stable jockey Ryan Moore teams up with Ecstatic, a Tipperary maiden winner who finished fifth in the May Hill Stakes at Doncaster. Having stumbled at the start of that contest, she is given every chance by Moore: "She is the form horse in this open contest," he said. Moore said: "Ecstatic ran well off a fine debut and won quite easily at Tipperary. She made a mistake coming out of the stalls at Doncaster; hopefully, she has learned from that. Bubbling ran well at Leopardstown, finishing third. Both fillies go in with a decent chance."
Bubbling is the second from O'Brien's pairing and also arrives in promising form following her solid third in the Irish Champions Festival in the Listed Ingabelle Stakes at Leopardstown. She was rather bolted out of the stalls, getting the fright of her life when a bump at the off sent her racing but showed real grit coming home to be only a length down at the line. It was a performance that suggested she was under pressure and O'Brien's camp will hope that she improves again. The fact that both fillies are in the lineup shows that O'Brien wants to come out and make a decent challenge for the Rockfel crown.
Other possible challengers are Duty First, who contests Archie Watson after acting as a two-length reserve to Skittershake in the Prestige Stakes and lightly raced filly Troia for Ed Walker and impressive on debut at Newbury in July. All this, then, means that all eyes will be on Rockfel Stakes contender Formal as he seeks a final victory to place his seal on the legacy of Sir Michael Stoute, whose legacy will continue to touch British racing long after he is gone.
