Pinatubo (horse)

Pinatubo is a bay colt bred in Ireland by Godolphin in whose blue colours he races. The colt was sent into training with Charlie Appleby at Godolphin's European base at Newmarket, Suffolk.

He was from the eleventh crop of foals sired by Shamardal whose wins included the Dewhurst Stakes, Poule d'Essai des Poulains, Prix du Jockey Club and St. James's Palace Stakes. His other offspring have included Able Friend, Mukhadram, Lope de Vega and Blue Point.[2]

Pinatubo's dam Lava Flow was a successful racemare who won two races including the Listed Prix de la Seine at Longchamp Racecourse in 2013.[3] Her granddam El Jazirah was a full-sister to Rafha.[4]

Pinatubo began his career in an evening novice race at Wolverhampton on 10 May 2019, beating another Godolphin horse, Platinum Star by 3 1/4 lengths. This was followed by a win in the formerly Listed Woodcote Stakes on Oaks day at Epsom.[5]

On 22 Jun 2019, Pinatubo was the 3/1 second favourite for the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot but in the event, beat the favourite, the Aidan O'Brien trained Lope y Fernandez (Round Tower Stakes) by 3 1/4 lengths, breaking the course record in the process. The horse then took a step up to win his first Group race, the Group 2 Vintage Stakes at the Glorious Goodwood meeting by 5 lengths on 30 July.[5]

For his first Group 1 race, the Vincent O'Brien National Stakes at The Curragh, he was ridden for the first time by William Buick, who had missed 12 weeks of the season following concussion.[6] Pinatubo was made 1/3 favourite and won by 9 lengths from Armory (Futurity Stakes), with the Racing Post referring to him as a "Ferrari of a racehorse" and trainer Appleby stating "he's the best two-year-old I've ever trained". Comparisons were drawn with two year old performances from horses like Frankel and Arazi.[6] Following this victory, form analysts Timeform rated him the second best two-year-old of the modern era behind Celtic Swing[7]

On 12 October, Pinatubo ended his season in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket and started the 1/3 favourite. His eight opponents included Wichita (winner of the Somerville Tattersall Stakes), Positive (Solario Stakes), Arizona (Coventry Stakes) and Mystery Power (Superlative Stakes). After racing in mid-division he overtook the front-running Arizona in the final furlong to win by two lengths.[8]

In the official ratings for the 2019 season Pinatubo was rated 128, the highest two-year-old rating awarded since Celtic Swing was rated 130 in 1994.[9]

• Career 1-2-3 Colour Chart – Pinatubo