Sir Michael Stoute 'very pleased' as impressive Nostrum boosts Classic claims

Thursday: Newmarket

The featured Group 3 Tattersalls Stakes was plan B for Nostrum after Doncaster was called off a fortnight ago, but you would not have known it judging by the way he advertised his Classic claims under Ryan Moore.

After a debut win at Sandown in the summer, the Sir Michael Stoute trainee was originally booked for a Listed race on Town Moor, but he looked very much at home in Group company when putting Royal Ascot winner Holloway Boy in the shade.

Having sat near the pace for much of the journey with 200-1 outsider Abravaggio, Nostrum struck for home entering the Dip and the 7-4 chance had enough up his sleeve to repel the Chesham winner in second and 5-4 favourite Victory Dance in third.

The winner was cut to 4-1 (from 20-1) by Paddy Power for the Dewhurst Stakes back at the Rowley Mile on October 8 and was trimmed to 8-1 (from 14-1) for next year's Qipco 2,000 Guineas by the same firm.

Nostrum gets the better of Holloway Boy and Victory Dance in the Tattersalls StakesCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Stoute said: "That was very pleasing as I thought it looked a very warm race this morning. He did it very nicely first time and was entitled to come and run in a race like that, and we are pleased with the performance. We expected a very big run first time, but he was racing for the first time. So far, so good."

He added: "I don't know if he'll run again this year as we'll have to get him home, but I'd like to run him again."

Trainer Karl Burke said of Holloway Boy: "We're delighted with that as he missed eight to ten days with a dirty scope when he missed the Champagne Stakes. Danny Tudhope said he would be suited by a mile so we could look at the Vertem Trophy or, beyond that, the Breeders' Cup."

Lifetime in racing

There was most interest in the winner's enclosure after the Lifetime In Racing Awards Handicap which was won by Ashky and run in honour of local stalwarts Cliff Lines and the late Les Simpson.

Lines is best known for riding the legendary Shergar in all his homework and also found time to be a jockey and a trainer from his home in nearby Exning.

The Lifetime In Racing Handicap was run in honour of Cliff Lines (left) and the late Les Simpson, whose daughter Kristina Milligan was on hand in memory of her fatherCredit: Edward Whitaker

Simpson, who died earlier this year, was a stalwart of the Jeremy Noseda yard and had his ashes scattered on the Rowley Mile.

Lines, 87, said: "It's very nice of Racing Welfare to recognise my lifetime in racing like this. I must have spent nearly 70 years in the sport and I was still riding out at 83. Shergar was the best I ever rode and we had 33-1 about him for the Derby when he was a two-year-old as we knew we had something special."

Simpson's daughter Kristina Milligan was also present, and said of her father: "My dad recently died and I think this would be a fitting tribute to over 60 years in the industry."

Out of the Blue

Michael Dods does not waste any diesel when he comes to Newmarket, and he took his strike-rate on the Rowley Mile to over 30 per cent in the last five years when Azure Blue came from last to first in the 6f fillies' handicap.

The 2-1 favourite went down to post before the others and came back in front of her rivals as well when heading long-time leader Loves Me Likearock close home.

Darlington-based Dods was supplementing his success in the contest a year ago with recent Listed winner Gale Force Maya.

Winning jockey Paul Mulrennan said: "Azure Blue is a lovely filly and may well get seven furlongs when she strengthens up next year."

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