Nostrum back in style

Kingman three-year-old Nostrum showed that he had retained all of his ability with an impressive performance in the Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes at Newmarket yesterday.

Taken from the Thoroughbred Daily News, 14th July 2023:

Yesterday's Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes looked every bit as strong as the card's group races and so it proved as Gr.3 Tattersalls Stakes-winning TDN Rising Star put his season on track with a performance that confirmed him as another elite runner for the Sir Michael Stoute stable.

Last seen finishing third in the Gr.1 Dewhurst Stakes on the Rowley Mile, the 11-10 favourite took Ryan Moore straight to the lead and one by one broke the hearts of his highly-regarded rivals en route to a three-length success in a fast time. Second was Embesto, who had two and a quarter lengths to spare over the fellow Roger Varian-trained New Endeavour.

"We've never made any bones about the fact that we think this is a very good horse and it was a frustrating start to the season, but this will hopefully be the springboard for the rest of the season," Juddmonte's European racing manager Barry Mahon said. "We probably could have been back for [Royal] Ascot, but it made more sense to wait and come here."

"This has been won by some good horses and it looked a deep renewal and a pretty tight race, so the way he went away from them he has to be a top-class horse," Mahon added. "He's in
everything, so we'll see how he comes out of it but hopefully it'll be sooner rather than later that he'll be back in Group 1 company. This is a very special race for the Abdullah family to
win and it makes it a poignant moment today."

With fellow TDN Rising Stars Mostabshir and Imperial Emperor disappointing but well-beaten here, Nostrum's performance suggests a tilt at Paddington et al. in the Sussex is a live topic for conversation. Sir Michael Stoute was not dismissing the prospect immediately post-race: "He will tell us if he is ready to go back into Group 1 company, but on today's evidence you would think he is," he said, before adding: "We might get windy closer to the time! He knocked a hind leg and needed a little time to get the infection out and to get moving again, but had been working very well," Stoute explained.

"He had been off for nine months and it looked a competitive field, so we weren't confident of winning but he was most impressive and I'm thrilled with him. We could go a mile and a quarter when we want, so we have just got to think about it. His two-year-old career was brimmed full of promise. Things didn't go right in the Dewhurst and he has come here today and won impressively. We can only be very happy, as he is a nice progressive horse."