Can’t wait for the racing to return? Neither can Steven Dowler. He’s put together a list of four reasons to look forward to the 2020 flat season.<\/p>\n
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There are plenty of exciting horses we can look forward to this season but one who stands above the rest and carries one of the biggest reputations ever to grace a racecourse is Charlie Appleby\u2019s Pinatubo. He is related to some of the best racehorses of all time such as Dalakhani, Giant\u2019s Causeway and Sharmadal.<\/p>\n
The progression Pinatubo showed last year was sublime having started his campaign in a class 4 event at Wolverhampton, becoming the highest rated juvenile of the last 25 years by the end of it. Since winning by three lengths on debut at Wolverhampton, Pinatubo didn\u2019t look back, taking the Woodham Stakes, Chesham Stakes, Vintage Stakes at Group 2 level before having his sights set at two major Group 1\u2019s.<\/p>\n
His first assignment was the Vincent O\u2019Brien National Stakes and Pinatubo won by nine lengths. He rounded off his unbeaten campaign when making it six from six with victory in the Dewhurst Stakes, where he encountered soft ground for the first time but overcame it in convincing style. He is currently 5\/4 for the 2000 Guineas and 7\/1 for the Derby, favourite for both. The only question remains is whether Pinatubo will stay the Derby trip.<\/p>\n
Even though he is yet to try a trip beyond seven furlongs, Charlie Appleby is adamant he will get the 1m4f distance at Epsom. If he passes the 2000 Guineas test with flying colours then all roads will surely lead to a tilt at the Epsom Derby and we will then find out how good Pinatubo really is for the boys in blue.<\/p>\n
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