Pinatubo looks to extend G1 wins at Newmarket

London: Unbeaten two-year-old Pinatubo looks to cap an outstanding campaign with victory in the seven-furlong G1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes, highlight of day two of Dubai Future Champions Festival at Newmarket on Saturday.

The Shamardal colt has already established himself as the most exciting European juvenile in recent years with five superb wins for Charlie Appleby. He produced the highest-rated two-year-old performance for 25 years when powering to a nine-length success in the G1 Vincent O’Brien National Stakes over the same distance at the Curragh in Ireland on Sept.15.

Pinatubo also recorded a comprehensive win in the G2 Vintage Stakes over seven furlongs at Glorious Goodwood in July and broke the juvenile seven-furlong course record with another impressive display in the Listed Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. William Buick, on board in the Vincent O’Brien National Stakes, takes the ride again.

Eight other juvenile colts take on Pinatubo, including course and distance G3 winner Wichita, Vintage Stakes runner-up Positive and Vincent O’Brien National Stakes third Arizona.

Appleby said: “Pinatubo has been as straightforward as always in his preparation for this race. There is no such thing as an easy G1 and we are respectful of the opposition but, on the formbook, he is the one they all have to beat.

“He has taken his races well and has strengthened up – he appears to be maturing with each run – while he is versatile in terms of ground.

“Newmarket can catch a few horses out. As much as we feel that Pinatubo has plenty of experience on undulating tracks, we won’t know if he will handle the dip at Newmarket until he races on it.

“He hasn’t put a foot wrong in all his starts to date and I am confident that he has the experience to cope with it.”

Godolphin is also represented in two G3 races for two-year-olds on the card. Volkan Star (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) steps up to a mile and a quarter in the Godolphin Flying Start Zetland Stakes following a convincing all-the-way success over a mile at Goodwood in August.

Appleby said: “Volkan Star had a good break after winning nicely at Goodwood and we are looking forward to stepping him up to this trip. His preparation has gone well and he looks a nice middle-distance horse for the future.”

Yarmouth winner Al Suhail (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) makes a second consecutive appearance at G3 level in the mile Dubai Autumn Stakes, with the Dubawi colt having gone down by a length when third in the seven-furlong Solario Stakes at Sandown Park in August.

He is joined in the same race by New Approach colt Military March (Saeed Bin Suroor/Oisin Murphy), who made a winning introduction when staying on strongly to take a seven-furlong maiden on Newmarket’s July Course in July.