Pinatubo expected to continue Shamardal's great legacy as stallion career looms

Champion two-year-old will stand at Dalham Hall in 2021, it has been announced

Pinatubo gains an important top-level victory at three in this year's Prix Jean PratCredit: © Aprh / Quentin Bertrand

Darley director of stallions Sam Bullard is looking forward to having the exhilarating Pinatubo to work with on their sires' roster following news of his retirement on Friday.

The colt was officially assessed as the best two-year-old Europe has seen in a quarter of a century, and added further success at Group 1 level to his record at three.

He will stand at Dalham Hall Stud in Newmarket in 2021, and could well be thought of in terms of a successor to his own sire, the top-notch Shamardal, who died in April.

Bullard said: “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome a horse as exceptional as Pinatubo to the roster at Dalham Hall Stud.

“Last year, he carried all before him, most notably in the National Stakes, which as we all know was a performance that cannot be matched by any other two-year-olds in the last quarter of a century.

“We were delighted to see him add a third Group 1 win to his superb record in the Prix Jean Prat and now look forward to him beginning his new career, where we’re confident he can continue Shamardal’s great legacy.”

Pinatubo, trained by Charlie Appleby for Godolphin, was unbeaten in six starts during a stellar two-year-old campaign and has never finished outside the first three throughout his ten-race career.

Pinatubo won by more than three lengths on his debut in May 2019, before taking the Woodcote Stakes at Epsom. He then ran out the impressive winner of the Chesham at Royal Ascot in a record time, before trouncing the field by six lengths in the Group 2 Vintage Stakes at Goodwood.

Pinatubo then demolished the field in the Group 1 National Stakes at the Curragh, putting a full nine lengths between himself and his rivals.

Pinatubo rounded off 2019 with another Group 1 victory, in the Dewhurst at Newmarket, in the process ensuring champion two-year-old honours and winter favouritism for the 2,000 Guineas

Pinatubo's three-year-old career did not hit quite the same giddy heights, though in finishing third in the Guineas, and second in both the St James's Palace Stakes and Prix du Moulin, not to mention gaining that all-important Group 1 win in the Prix Jean Prat, 2020 was another successful season.

Pinatubo is, by some margin, the best performer from his illustrious family, a female line that includes leading sires Invincible Spirit and Kodiac, plus promising young stallion Pride Of Dubai.

A fee will be announced at a later date.