Pinatubo to retire to stud

Following discussions of the key horses at Godolphin’s Moulton Paddocks this week, the decision has been made to retire Pinatubo.

Pinatubo has been a model of consistency throughout his career and finished his two-year-old season a flawless six from six.

From an unassuming win in an evening novice at Wolverhampton, Pinatubo’s talent was propelled into the public eye when he broke the juvenile course record in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot.

An emphatic win in the G2 Vintage Stakes followed, before he put in his best performance at the Curragh in the G1 Vincent O’Brien National Stakes.

His brilliance that day earned him an official rating of 128, making him the highest rated two-year-old in the last 25 years.

He finished his juvenile season with a tenacious win in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes and was crowned Champion two-year-old.

Pinatubo has, once again, been ultra-consistent this year as he competed at the highest level.

Third in the 2,000 Guineas and a gallant second in the St James’s Palace Stakes, he struck at the highest level when winning the G1 Prix Jean Prat, his dazzling turn of foot on show once again.

Charlie Appleby said “It has been a great honour and privilege to train a horse of this calibre and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed has taken great pleasure in following his career.

“To have a homebred, especially a descendent of the late Shamardal, is fantastic for the breeding operation and we look forward to seeing him stand at Dalham Hall Stud”.