POET’S WORD PUTS STOUTE IN TITLE PICTURE

SIR MICHAEL STOUTE might have said his days of being champion trainer were over after his 1-2 in Saturday’s King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot with Poet’s Word and Crystal Ocean but his odds have still been slashed. Coral have cut the chances of Stoute landing an 11th title to 6-1 from 20-1. Those odds would reduce further if Stoute’s Jersey Stakes winner Expert Eye wins the £1million Group One Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on Wednesday. Stoute, 72, last won the title in 2009 but his King George protagonists give him a strong hand in the major middledistance races this summer. Stoute is almost £700,000 behind title race leader John Gosden. But of Gosden’s big two older horses, Enable is recovering from injury and Cracksman is waiting for softer ground. Poet’s Word, who gave Stoute a record sixth win in the King George with the neck success over stablemate Crystal Ocean, is 9-4 favourite for next month’s Juddmonte International Stakes at York. Coral’s Dave Stevens said: ‘Races like the International and Champion Stakes at Ascot in October are big pots. While there are question marks about Cracksman and Enable, Crystal Ocean and Poet’s Word are out there winning prize-money.’