PIN UP YOUR HOPES
Positive, a five- length winner of his racecourse debut at Salisbury in June, was the same distance back in second when Pinatubo ran away with the Vintage Stakes at the Qatar Goodwood Festival the following month.
Lope Y Fernandez, beaten 10 lengths in third on the South Downs, gave the form a shot in the arm when landing the Group 3 Round Tower Stakes at the Curragh on Friday.
And yesterday Positive and Adam Kirby’s nose margin over Kameko in the Betway-sponsored Group 3 test gave Pinatubo’s supporters a second boost in less than 24 hours.
Positive is as short as 16-1 for the colt’s Classic over Newmarket’s Rowley Mile next April.
And the two-year-old’s trainer Clive Cox said: “He’s still quite raw and still progressing.
“He’s certainly doing everything right and hopefully there’s more progress to come.
“He’s well entered everywhere and all those questions we will decide over the next few weeks.”
Ladbrokes reacted to Positive’s win by cutting Charlie Appleby trainee Pinatubo to 11- 4 ( from 3- 1) at the head of the 2,000 Guineas betting.
“Pinatubo’s win at Goodwood had plenty of style, and now there’s substance to the form as well,” said the Magic Sign’s Nicola Mcgeady.
“Lope Y Fernandez was soundly beaten in the Vintage Stakes, so his Round Tower Stakes win shows Pinatubo in a good light, and Positive has given the victory a second boost.
“We’re likely to see the Godolphin colt in the Group 1 National Stakes on September 15, and he’ll be a short price for the Guineas if he defends his unbeaten record at the Curragh.”
Odds-on favourite Jubiloso (4-5) beat just one home as Lavender’s Blue, saddled by Amanda Perrett and partnered by her brother-in-law Jim Crowley, gained a 12-1 supremacy in the Group 3 Atalanta Stakes.