Nostrum created a big impression when making all the running to win the Edmondson Hall Solicitors Sir Henry Cecil Stakes at Newmarket.

Trained by Sir Michael Stoute, the Kingman colt was one of last season’s leading juveniles, finishing third in the Dewhurst behind subsequent 2000 Guineas winner Chaldean – like Nostrum owned by Juddmonte.

Forced to miss the Guineas due to a minor setback, Nostrum was making his seasonal reappearance at Listed level but was still sent off the 11-10 favourite against some promising rivals.

Ryan Moore was happy to make the running, settling beautifully, and just like his sire he produced a smart turn of foot when needed.

Going into the dip, when Moore pressed the button the race was soon over and while the previously unbeaten Embesto gave chase, he was beaten by a comprehensive three lengths.

Stoute said: “It was everything I hoped to see. He had been off for nine months, but he was working very well.

“It looked a competitive field, so we weren’t confident of winning, but we knew he’d run very well.

“But he was most impressive. I was very pleased with him.

“He knocked a hind leg and he needed time to get the infection out and get him right again. The last three weeks we’ve been happy that he’d shown progressive improvement. Ryan liked him.”

Coral halved Stoute’s charge to 6-1 for the Qatar Sussex Stakes, but Stoute said: “I haven’t a clue yet where he will go. He could go a mile and a quarter when we want. We have to see how he comes out of it.

“He will tell us if he could go into Group One company next time, but on today’s evidence, I think he’s ready. I don’t know.

“His two-year-old career was brimfull of promise. Things didn’t quite right for him in the Dewhurst. He’s come here today and won impressively and we can only be very happy, because he is a nice, progressive horse.”

Nostrum could return to action in the Edmondson Hall Solicitors Sir Henry Cecil Stakes during Newmarket’s July Festival.

Sir Michael Stoute’s talented colt was unbeaten in his first two starts as a juvenile, including when impressing in the Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket in September, and was last seen finishing third to fellow Juddmonte-owned 2000 Guineas winner Chaldean in the Dewhurst last autumn.

He was likely to return with Classic aspirations in the early part of the season, but any hope of that was scuppered when meeting with a setback in the spring, and having lost the race to be fit in time for a Royal Ascot run, connections are now pencilling in the Listed event Baaeed won in 2021 on July 13 for the Kingman colt’s comeback.

“He’s in good nick and is getting close,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte.

“A loose plan is that he will run in the Henry Cecil at Newmarket’s July Meeting. It’s the one-mile Listed race that Baaeed won a couple of years ago.

“We were probably about two weeks short of being ready for Ascot and Sir Michael said let’s take our time and start off slow. So that looks like the plan as long as everything continues to go OK between now and then.”

Although unable to make an appearance in either the Classics or at Ascot’s summer showpiece, Mahon believes there is plenty to still look forward to and is backing Nostrum to make his mark in the second half of the season.

He continued: “It’s not the be-all and end-all (missing the start of the season). If you are a Group One horse then there are plenty of races in the second half of the season and even next season if he is a Group One horse, he’ll be able to showcase his talent.

“From a commercial point of view, you would love to be there for the Guineas and Ascot etc but I suppose you have to remember that with Chaldean as well, we would probably have been trying to keep them apart anyway.”