The hot Classic favourite has had Saturday’s race as his destination since his demolition
Job at the Curragh
In most great racehorses’ careers, there is a moment when they do something so obviously beyond the capabilities of their peers that it marks them out not just as the best of their own generation, but among the best of any generation. For Frankel, it was the 2,000 Guineas nine years ago, when he flew down the Rowley Mile almost at a sprinter’s pace and had the race won with two furlongs left to run. About 100,000 thoroughbreds are foaled around the world each year and, most years, there is not a single one among them that can do something like that to a top-class field.
For Pinatubo, the moment was the National Stakes at the Curragh last September. He had impressive wins at Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood in the book already but no one could have imagined that he would cruise into contention travelling supremely strongly two furlongs out and then storm an astonishing nine lengths clear of the best two-year-olds in
Ireland. Even then, seven-and-a-half months out, thoughts were already turning to Guineas day in May 2020, and Pinatubo’s next step towards a place among the all-timers.