SIX OUT OF SIX FOR GODOLPHIN’S PINATUBO

The highlight of Future Champions Weekend at Newmarket was the Gr.1 Dewhurst Stakes, which saw the unbeaten Pinatubo face eight opponents and race for the first time on soft ground. Godolphin’s Shamardal colt was sent off at long odds-on, having beaten four of his eight rivals already this season, but he was made to work harder than he had on his last couple of starts.

Third behind him at the Curragh last time, Arizona (No Nay Never) made the running, while the favourite sat in the middle of the main pack until pulled wide for a clear run by William Buick. He gradually made up ground on the leader, drew alongside him inside the furlong marker and pulled ahead on the run to the line, beating him by two lengths. Arizona’s Ballydoyle stable companions filled the next three spots, headed by the third placed Wichita (No Nay Never), who had looked to be in with a chance 2f out, but was unable to get to the pair in front.

Charlie Appleby said: “He has been a very special horse this year and you all saw him walking around the paddock; he has a demeanour about him. I would be making it up if I said he was a ‘wow’ horse in the mornings; he just goes out there and does his business. You would think he was an older horse in a handicap if you didn’t know who he was. He went to Epsom on Derby day, he went to Royal Ascot, he went to Goodwood, he’s been up and down dale and all around the country, so he brought a wealth of experience to the table as well as an engine, which is the most important thing. On the back of Blue Point retiring, it’s great for Sheikh Mohammed that Shamardal is doing so well as a sire. Blue Point got me excited in the mornings, I could set my clock by him. I knew what he was going to do, but this horse is the complete opposite. I worked him in the week and he rolls upsides his lead horse and chokes out again, so it doesn’t exactly fill you with confidence going into a Gr.1, but as long as he keeps producing on the track I’m happy.”

Pinatubo now goes into winter quarters as the champion of his generation, with six wins in as many starts, two of them at Gr.1 level, and by an aggregate margin of 24 lengths. The best of three Gr.1-winning two-year-olds by his sire this season, he is out of the French Listed winner Lava Flow (Dalakhani), a half-sister to the Gr.1 (then) Gran Criterium runner-up Strobilus (Mark Of Esteem).

Prior to this, Pinatubo produced a breathtaking performance to land the Gr.1 National Stakes in sensational style at the Curragh, on the second day of Irish Champions Weekend. Godolphin’s homebred son of Shamardal broke the Gr.1 domination that Ballydoyle and Galileo have exerted over the two-day meeting.

In the 7f contest, Toronto (Galileo) broke sharply and was quickly joined in the lead by the Gr.2 Coventry Stakes winner Arizona (No Nay Never), with Geometrical (Dawn Approach) joining the front pair. William Buick travelled quietly on Pinatubo just behind the frontrunners and, as the field moved into the straight and Monoski (Street Boss) took the lead, Buick had barely to shake the reins for Pinatubo to cruise up and quicken between the frontrunners. In a clear lead approaching the final furlong, the colt kept quickening as he powered to victory by nine lengths. The Gr.2 Futurity Stakes winner Armory (Galileo) finished closest of the remainder of the field, a neck in front of his stablemate Arizona.

An elated Charlie Appleby, who also trained Quorto to win the same race last year, said: “I worked him with some nice horses during the week and, if you’d asked me who was the best worker, it was Royal Crusader who was beaten yesterday. It’s great for Sheikh Mohammed to have a homebred doing what he is doing. I see no reason why he wouldn’t go for the [Gr.1] Dewhurst, as he’s just had a piece of work there.”.”

Buick added: “I have never ridden a two-year-old like that. Today was a proper Gr.1 and that was a hugely exciting performance. He’s a very laid-back horse with a great temperament and adapts to all different circumstances. He just keeps lengthening and quickening.”