Godolphin's two year old superstar Pinatubo is set to follow in the footsteps of some of his owners past runners by heading over to Ireland to compete in the Group One National Stakes at the Curragh a week on Sunday.
Trainer Charlie Appleby landed the contest last year with the superb Quorto, who like Pinatubo put his unbeaten record on the line in the Group One contest last year and he will be hoping for the same outcome a year on from that success.
The two year old colt out of Sharmadal has been the juvenile star of the season racing four times and getting better and better with each run.
He started his career off at Wolverhampton in May and romped to the victory in an easy contest, he then went to Epsom for his turf debut and looked even better landing a Class 2 Conditions race coming from off the pace to score nicely.
From those two runs he held a huge amount of potential stepping into the Listed Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot but he was facing his biggest test against some really smart juveniles, however he went on to break the two year old course record over seven furlongs
His next venture was into Group Two company at Glorious Goodwood when landing the Vintage Stakes in what was his best win to date, drawing well clear of the second and third place who have since gone on to win and making a clear statement in the juvenile division.
Appleby has handled Pinatubo in a remarkable style and now giving him his opportunity in his first Group One and not rushing it on the colt has been the making of the youngster.
The trainer said: “We are on track, all is well with Pinatubo and this race has always been our aim.
“He has been pleasing us at home and really the only issue might be if the ground were very testing, but he handled conditions fine at Goodwood and he should be all systems go for the Curragh.
“He has the perfect profile to now be going into Group One company and, four from four, obviously he is exciting. He is spot on temperamentally and it was nice to win the race again. We won it last year with Quorto and (Godolphin) had last won the race with his dad, Dubawi.”
This will be Pinatubo's biggest test to date taking on other smart unbeaten horses like the Ger Lyons trained Siskin, who landed his first Group One at the Curragh in the Phoenix Stakes last time out.
Appleby added: “This is going to be a race with at least two exciting colts as Ger Lyons’ Siskin has looked very good and he will probably be happier on a decent surface even though he won on testing ground last time.
“It was fantastic to win this race last year and I’m really looking forward to it, with Pinatubo hopefully on course for the Dewhurst at Newmarket after it.”