Racing: Rhythm to bang the Classic drum for Stoute

It was back in 1973 that the early successes for an aspiring trainer came with Alphadamus and Blue Cashmere in the Stewards' Cup and Ayr Gold Cup respectively. That seemed to suggest that Michael Stoute would be a sprint specialist, but that was doubly untrue. Not only has Sir Michael's career endured, but he has also developed a rapport with older middle-distance horses, the likes of Opera House, Rock Hopper, Pilsudski, Singspiel and Kalanisi, the name on his purple baseball cap when he was our host at a recent Newmarket work morning.

Stoute has been conducting this way of life for some time – 31 years not out he would doubtlessly say with one of his favourite cricket references – but the vim remains as he exits his silver Lexus and dips under the rail on to the Warren Hill Polytrack gallop. Early morning Newmarket lies beneath, the white Millennium Stand of the Rowley Mile course away in the distance.

As the trainer approaches 58, he sees as more relevant statistics the near 2,500 domestic winners he has compiled, 21 Classic wins spread over Britain and Ireland and 43 Royal Ascot victories. Plus the foreign sorties that have become more relevant in the modern age.

These are the optimistic mornings of spring, the annual reveille when the awakening herds in Newmarket might just have a superstar among them. These are the favourite times for Stoute, when it is just him the horses and the lads, discussion about a string refreshed by yet another new intake. "It's exciting and the season is imminent," he says. "It's a good time."

Once again this year it will be down to Stoute to challenge the duopoly of Ballydoyle and Godolphin. Last year those camps won the 2,000 Guineas and 1,000 Guineas with Rock Of Gibraltar and Kazzia respectively. The season before Stoute himself won the colts' Classic with Golan and the knight does not believe he is fighting with a broken lance. "One can penetrate that domination," he says. "It's harder than it used to be. But we got there in 2000 and we haven't given up hope."

Chief among Stoute's weaponry in just over a fortnight's time will be the imposing figure of Russian Rhythm, for whom the trainer has particular affinity as he picked her out in company with Chris Richardson of the Cheveley Park Stud at the Houghton Sales for 440,000 guineas. It was a big price for a big filly, one which was unbeaten until Airwave just took her measure in the Cheveley Park Stakes last October. She now goes straight to the Guineas.

"Physically she's made good progress, which you'd expect because she's a big filly with a great frame on her," Stoute says. "She's got more power behind the saddle and she's done well, she's made more than normal physical improvement. I'm happy with her condition but I'd really like to see her start to blossom now. She'd better hurry up."

The signs for Russian Rhythm are good. Freemason Lodge has started quickly, scoring with its first runner and sending out Crystal Star to be runner-up to Tante Rose in the first fillies' trial, the Fred Darling Stakes, at Newbury on Saturday.

The second comes this afternoon, when Hector's Girl, a half-sister to the top sprinter College Chapel, represents Stoute in the Nell Gwyn Stakes.

Another Newmarket filly, Geoff Wragg's Ego, is strongly fancied after her fourth place behind Airwave in the Cheveley Park, while another leading contender is John Dunlop's course-and-distance winner, Khulood.

Thursday's colts' trial, the Craven Stakes, will go ahead without Trade Fair, because of the firm ground. Roger Charlton's colt will go straight to the 2,000 Guineas.