Two-year-old debut winners for the master trainer Sir Michael Stoute normally turn out to be very useful and Nostrum proved that was the case again when following up in excellent style on the opening day of Newmarket’s Cambridgeshire meeting.
The strapping son of Kingman quickened clear to see off Holloway Boy, himself a rarer specimen as a debut winner at Royal Ascot, in the Group Three Tattersalls Stakes on Wednesday and earned an 8-1 quote for next year’s 2,000 Guineas back at the track in May from Betfair. The Godolphin-owned favourite Victory Dance was third.
The winner is also 4-1 for the Group One Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket next month if connections fancy a step up in class with the very promising winner, but Stoute was cautious about that prospect when asked but was clearly keen to race his charge once more this campaign.
Stoute told Racing TV: “I wasn’t confident with two good colts in opposition with good form but he had progressed well from Sandown and we were hopeful and in the end it was very satisfactory.
“I would be very happy to give him a third start but quite frankly at this time of year you don’t know. We’ll have to take him back and relax him, put him in strong work and see what the vibes are. There are a few opportunities [including the Dewhurst] and I haven’t given it serious thought because we wanted to get over today.”
“He’s an easy horse to train – he’s very laid back but just a little bit babyish and a bit immature mentally,” added the Newmarket trainer. TP
Friday TV racing preview
The on-off relationship between owner Kia Joorabchian and his former No 1 rider, Rossa Ryan, seems to be blossoming again, with Ryan booked for Persian Force in the Group One Middle Park Stakes on Saturday, and they also have a leading chance in the Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket on Friday, when Olivia Maralda (3.00) is worth an interest to beat the warm favourite, Commissioning.
Joorabchian, a football agent in his day job, co-owns Olivia Maralda with Philippe Coutinho of Aston Villa, one of his clients, and Michael O’Callaghan’s filly already looks like a smart investment, having finished less than a length behind Meditate – the second-favourite for next spring’s 1,000 Guineas – in a Group Two at the Curragh in August.
That was the fifth start of Olivia Maralda’s career so she probably has less scope for improvement than most of her rivals, but a repeat of that form would set a high bar for Commissioning.
John and Thady Gosden’s filly was undeniably impressive on her debut in a maiden on the July course but this is still a significant step up in class and an early price of around 7-4 makes little appeal.
Haydock 1.30 Al Dasim led his field until inside the final furlong in a Listed race at Deauville in August and a mark of 90 looks fair for his nursery debut.
Newmarket 1.50 Zanbaq was short of room at a key stage when making her Group-race debut at Ascot in July and should also appreciate this slight ease in grade.
Haydock 2.05 Simon and Ed Crisford’s Croupier improved to record a career-best performance in a Racing League event at Windsor at the start of this month and a repeat from a 1lb higher mark would give him an obvious chance.
Newmarket 2.25 Eternal Pearl has progressed by the run since getting off the mark in June and is a fair price at around 5-2 to step up again and defy a 3lb penalty for her Group Three win in France last time.
Worcester 1.20 Found On 1.55 Anightinlambourn 2.30 Elios D'Or 3.05 Spanish Present 3.40 Presentandcounting 4.15 Finisk River 4.50 Gingembre Menthe
Haydock Park 1.30 Al Dasim 2.05 Croupier 2.40 Flamborough 3.15 Oneforsue 3.50 Mutaany 4.25 Tendentious 4.55 Cumulonimbus
Newmarket 1.50 Zanbaq 2.25 Eternal Pearl 3.00 Olivia Maralda (nap) 3.35 Pogo (nb) 4.10 Kolsai 4.45 Candleford 5.20 Stormy Ocean
Newcastle 4.40 Aconcagua Mountain 5.15 Noonie 5.45 Anif 6.15 The Goat 6.45 Burning Emotion 7.15 Billy Wedge 7.45 It Is Now 8.15 Mythical Molly
Haydock 2.40 At the likely odds, Flamborough could be worth chancing at around 10-1. He took a big step forward for his delayed reappearance to finish a close second in a well-run handicap at Kempton on 12 September and has scope to improve again for this step up in trip.
Newmarket 3.35 There is a distinct possibility Pogo will get a soft lead here and odds of around 5-1 about Charles Hills’s dependable six-year-old could look very generous if so. GW
