'It’s no easy number' - highly regarded Nostrum connections wary of tough rivals as he makes comeback

Nostrum drops to Listed company as he makes his eagerly anticipated seasonal debut in the Edmondson Hall Solicitors Sir Henry Cecil Stakes.

The Sir Michael Stoute-trained three-year-old was last seen finishing third in the Dewhurst in October when sent off the 5-2 joint-favourite with the fellow Juddmonte-owned winner Chaldean.

Having previously followed a winning debut at Sandown with success in the Group 3 Tattersalls Stakes, Nostrum was forced to miss the early part of this season including the 2,000 Guineas won by Chaldean.

Barry Mahon, racing manager for the owners, said: “He had the setback in the spring. It wasn’t anything major, it just meant we were missing the Classics.

“He’s been ready to go for the last couple of weeks and this was the first sensible opportunity for him.

“We could have rushed him and gone to Royal Ascot, but we had Chaldean in the St James’s Palace and it didn’t make a lot of sense to start this horse back in a Group 1 there when we had the favourite. That’s why we aimed for this race and it’s a nice starting point.”

Among Nostrum’s five rivals in the £50,000 contest who did run at the royal meeting are Mostabshir, who was sixth behind subsequent Eclipse winner Paddington in the St James's Palace, and New Endeavour, who steps up from handicap company for the first time after being beaten half a length when second in the Britannia.

New Endeavour (left) finishes second in the Britannia at Royal Ascot last timeCredit: Edward Whitaker

New Endeavour’s trainer Roger Varian also runs the unexposed Embesto, who is unbeaten in two starts, as is Charlie Appleby’s Imperial Emperor, the one-time Derby second favourite who comfortably shouldered a penalty over course and distance on his return last month. Appleby said: “He missed some of the spring, but we were delighted with his comeback.

“He has definitely come forward for that run and we are testing him in a race that looks to have plenty of strength in depth.”

Appleby, who won this with Al Suhail in 2020, added: “We are confident going into the race but will be a lot wiser afterwards as to where the rest of the season lies in terms of grade and trip.”

Nostrum is upwards of 5lb clear of the field on ratings, but has a 278-day layoff to overcome whereas all of his opposition, including five-timer-seeking outsider Wildfell, have won a race since May.

“It looks a good race,” said Mahon. “Imperial Emperor and Embesto look good so it’s no easy number.

“It’ll be nice to get Nosturm back and we’ll build on and progress from here. He’s such a big horse, you’d expect that he’d be a better three-year-old.”

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