Stage is set as Pinatubo attempts to end season unbeaten in Dewhurst

Darley Dewhurst Stakes | Group 1 | 7f | 2yo colts & fillies | ITV/RTV

One of the enduring and most exciting aspects of sport is how heroes and heroines emerge and change.

Every generation can reflect on those who topped their respective sport of choice for a period, and then debate how they would have fared against past or present stars.

Conversations centred on how Pinatubo measures up against those who have gone before have already begun, and will only increase if the colt delivers another masterclass in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes.

From humble beginnings in a Wolverhampton novice in May, the son of Shamardal has gone from strength to strength, with his latest effort in the Vincent O'Brien National Stakes a nine-length spreadeagling of Group 1 rivals the like of which is rarely witnessed.

That romp at the Curragh came off the back of a similarly impressive five-length stroll at Goodwood in the Group 2 Vintage Stakes.

But his Curragh effort earned a monster official rating of 128 – a higher figure than Frankel achieved as a juvenile and one only bettered twice in the last 30 years.

As well as Frankel, Pinatubo has drawn comparisons to Arazi and Celtic Swing in the wake of his dominance, and it is rare to see a Dewhurst with a market so heavily skewed towards one horse.

Pinatubo: impressing in the Vintage Stakes at GoodwoodCredit: Edward Whitaker

Pinatubo is around 1-3 for the Newmarket Group 1, and fully deserves to be. Odds-against can still be found in places for next year's Qipco 2,000 Guineas, but those prices will disappear if the colt wins stylishly again on the Rowley Mile on Saturday.

A winter of content awaits trainer Charlie Appleby if the juvenile ends his first campaign a perfect six from six and the trainer is relishing the occasion.

He said: "Pinatubo has been as straightforward as always in his preparation for this race. There is no such thing as an easy Group 1 and we are respectful of the opposition but, on the form book, 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'll handle the Dip at Newmarket until he races on it. He hasn’t put a foot wrong in all his starts and I'm confident that he has the experience to cope with it."

NEWMARKET, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 26: Ryan Moore riding Wichita win The Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse on September 26, 2019 in Newmarket, England. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)Credit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

O'Brien taking the fight to Pinatubo with four chances

In the arena of the Tattersalls sales ring at Newmarket this week Godolphin and Coolmore have been slugging it out over a variety of seven-figure yearlings, with Godolphin's spending power coming out on top on more than one occasion.

Now the fight moves back to its more conventional theatre of the racetrack, with Aidan O'Brien sending four Coolmore horses into battle in an effort to depose Pinatubo.

If any yard can provide an upset recent history suggests it will be O'Brien, who has won the race six times, and reeled off three in a row before Too Darn Hot's victory last year.

Of that six, two (Rock Of Gibraltar 2001, Churchill 2016) went on to claim the 2,000 Guineas the following season.

Wichita was an easy winner over the Dewhurst course and distance last month with a seven-length victory in the Group 3 Tattersalls Stakes, a performance that prompted connections to supplement the colt for the race.

He is the leading contender for O'Brien according to the betting, and the trainer said: "Wichita is a lovely colt who we were delighted with last time. It is just over two weeks since that race and we have not done a whole lot with him since. That said, everything we have done with him has been very good since the race."

Arizona has over nine lengths to find with Pinatubo judged on his National Stakes third, while Monarch Of Egypt goes beyond 6f for the first time and needs to bounce back from a disappointing eighth in the Middle Park. Year Of The Tiger, the outsider of the nine-strong field, completes O'Brien's hand.

"We think Arizona and Monarch Of Egypt will leave their last few runs behind them here," O'Brien added. "You can expect big improvement. Arizona is in good shape. It all happened a bit quick for Monarch Of Egypt in the Middle Park. He had a setback earlier in the season and things just happened too quickly there for him. He is going into this race in really good order.

"Year Of The Tiger had a blood disorder when he ran in the Superlative Stakes in July and we thought he ran a lovely race in the Royal Lodge. We think he can improve again."

Positive: takes on Pinatubo againCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Cox hopeful Positive can close the gap to Pinatubo

Positive has already faced Pinatubo this season, and was left five lengths adrift when runner-up in the Vintage Stakes.

But the Clive Cox-trained juvenile showed his own class when winning the Solario Stakes next time, and Cox is hopeful the colt can get closer to the favourite this time around.

He said: "We're very happy with Positive. It was a good performance to finish five lengths behind Pinatubo at Goodwood and we were pleased with his success at Sandown, albeit by a small margin. We're hopeful the softer conditions won't be a problem either."

Mystery Power did not fire on his previous meeting against Pinatubo at Goodwood, but bounced back to form with a staying-on second in the Mill Reef, and should enjoy returning to 7f.

Royal Commando, two places behind Mystery Power in the Mill Reef, and the Mark Johnston-trained Iffraaz complete the field.

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