Matt Chapman looks back on Pinatubo's breathtaking win and what it means going forwards in his latest column

HE’S like an equine Koala, but sleepy Group 1 winner Pinatubo might just be the best two year-old Britain has ever seen!

Yes people. Despite the exploits of hat-trick-seeking Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe heroine Enable and the batmobile that is the speedster Battaash, Pinatubo is in many ways the star of the 2019 Flat season.

Now unbeaten in five starts, the son of the mighty Shamardal (by the awesome iron horse Giant’s Causeway) started off on the all-weather at Wolverhampton back in May.

No offence to Wolverhampton, but that in itself suggests connections did not think they had a worldy on their hands.

It has been Newcastle’s Tapeta surface that has attracted the big names in recent times – including Enable and incredible stayer Stradivarius.

That said, it’s always interesting to look back, and that day at Wolverhampton Pinatubo – sent off at 3-1 – beat Platinum Star by just over three lengths.

The latter, handled by Saeed bin Suroor, was last seen hacking up in the Listed Champion Two-Year-Old Trophy at Ripon. It was a strong Class 4 Novice at Wolverhampton.

Koalas can sleep for up to twenty two hours a day, but also have an aggressive streak, and of Pinatubo trainer Charlie Appleby told me: “He’s never been a great workhorse.

"He’s just one of those horses – and I have never come across one before – whose work in the morning doesn’t get you excited. He just gets on with it with his head dropped and he doesn’t catch your eye. He saunters on pass you. But then he comes awake on track.

“His work going into Wolverhampton was adequate, but it wasn’t wow or exciting work. Otherwise he would have been going to Newmarket or on the turf somewhere.”

After Wolverhampton, Pinatubo then headed to Epsom for the Woodcote conditions stakes and slammed Oh Purple Reign from off the pace.

Appleby said: “I was always concerned he wouldn't have the early toe for them but once he was levelled out I was confident he'd come home well.

"He does his best work towards the finish so stepping him up in trip doesn't worry me. We will make the entries for the Coventry and the Chesham (at Royal Ascot).”

The Listed Chesham was chosen and it was another romp for Pinatubo. It was perhaps this day we knew we had something special, but if there were any doubters they were truly put to bed in the Group 2 Qatar Vintage Stakes at Goodwood in July.

Pinatubo destroyed a field including Positive, who would battle to success next time in the Solario Stakes at Sandown. Platinum Star, incidentally, was back in fifth that day.

And then came that Group 1 National Stakes at the Curragh last weekend, and a nine-length demolition of Armory.

Afterwards Appleby gave a hint at why the horse keeps improving, when he said: "He's a trainer's dream as he's a horse that does it all himself. We've seen the change in him over the last six weeks and he's a very exciting horse."

Pinatubo is already rated higher than anything the legend Frankel did as a juvenile. Timeform have given Pinatubo a figure of 134, second only to Celtic Swing’s 1994 Racing Post Trophy mark of 138 in the modern era.

The National Stakes success was as blitzing as Arazi’s in the 1991 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Most will hope Pinatubo now tackles the Group 1 Darley Dewhurst at Newmarket on October 12.

Appleby, who has Cross Counter primed for the Melbourne Cup and might still run last year’s classy juvenile Quorto before the end of the current campaign, says no decision has been made, but that there is no reason not to take up the challenge.

"I spoke to His Highness (Sheikh Mohammed) after the National Stakes and we said we would see how Pinatubo is in ten days.

"He’s already back in his routine and is eating up, sleeping and drinking so he’s fine. There’s no reason for him not to run, it just depends whether we feel it is right for him to have another run. On his wellbeing the horse is well and the race would be no problem."

All we can do now is hope Pinatubo – 5-4 for next year’s 2000 Guineas – stays healthy and trains on. If he does he is something all racing fans will eagerly look forward to in 2020. An equine Koala!

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