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8 Jun 2020

St James’s Palace at Royal Ascot next for Pinatubo

Trainer Charlie Appleby has already began to look forward for QIPCO 2000 Guineas third Pinatubo, with the St James’s Palace Stakes the likely next target for the Godolphin star.

Initial feelings after the race would naturally be disappointment at losing the unbeaten run however, Charlie Appleby was keen to highlight the performance was far from this and there are plenty of options for the colt to return to winning ways – most pressingly the Group 1 mile assignment at Royal Ascot in eight days time.

Appleby “Pinatubo travelled well into the race when he had Frankie’s horse [Wichita] as his target but when he made his move he got up to their girths and just didn’t go any further forward. Obviously I’m disappointed as it’s the first time he’s been beaten but at least he hasn’t fallen out the back of the tv.”

“He’s had a normal blow after. The first impression would be to take him to the St James’s Palace Stakes but we’ll speak to connections when we get him home. If he’s okay physically there’s no reason why we can’t turn him around for Ascot as it’s a meeting everyone likes and hopefully owners will be able to go by then.”

The St James’s Palace Stakes on day one of the Royal meeting hasn’t been the worst hunting ground for beaten Guineas fancies over the years. Kingman was famously beaten into third in his 2014 QIPCO 2000 Guineas run before going on to take the St James’s Palace Stakes comfortably. Likewise Barney Roy, who in 2017 was defeated by Churchill in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas before reversing that form six weeks later at the Royal meeting.

Whilst disappointment would have been the gut feeling, there is plenty of the season still to enjoy with last year’s Champion two-year-old and it likely it won’t be long before he can attribute a Series win to his name.