'They kept reminding me last year I was on 75 winners – and I'm still on 75'

Sir Michael Stoute has been in the game far too long to be seduced by idle flattery, no matter how well intended it may be. Even routine use of his full title is quietly but actively discouraged, so mention of his colossal number of Royal Ascot winners has little or no chance of passing through the filter of extraneous information.

It's a fact that since his first success, in 1977, the avuncular Barbadian has racked up another 74 and heads the rankings of current trainers by 14, from the albeit rather younger Aidan O'Brien; but that's no reason to go on about it. In fact, it's more of a reason to stop chin-wagging and get back to work on this year's team.

"They kept reminding me I was on 75 winners last year," says the master of Freemason Lodge, "and I'm still on 75 – and don't forget we've been at it a long time."