2000 Guineas hopeful out to be a superstar

TIPS: Appleby eyes Newmarket success

PINATUBO can confirm himself a horse for the ages with victory in the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket today,

Charlie Appleby’s Shamardal colt ended last season as the highest-rated juvenile since Celtic Swing in 1994, with a mark of 128 – not even Frankel managed that.

Celtic Swing was beaten in the Guineas, but all the signs are that Pinatubo is very much the real deal and market confidence has tightened up in the last couple of weeks.

He is said not to be the flashiest of workers at home, but Appleby has been making the right noises lately and his charge brings the best form to the table by far.

There is no obvious reason why Arizona should make it third time lucky against him, even with Aidan O’Brien’s stellar record in the race, so while he is respected it could be that another Godolphin runner, Military March, is the danger. KENZAI WARRIOR is another who should not be dismissed. In the care of Roger Teal, he has done nothing wrong in his two runs to date and his trainer went close with 50-1 shot Tip Two Win in 2018. All eyes in the Betfair-backed Newmarket Stakes will be on the exciting WALDKONIG in the hands of Frankie Dettori.

John Gosden’s Kingman half-brother

to Arc hero Waldgeist got everyone talking in making a winning start at Wolverhampton in December, powering clear for a nine-length success.

His breeding suggests this 10 furlongs should suit and while there are one or two others in this with definite promise, he can hopefully put himself right into the Derby picture.

FAR ABOVE is the pick in the Betfair Supports Racing Welfare Palace House Stakes.

James Tate reckons this is the fastest horse he has trained – which is fair praise considering he was responsible for topnotch sprinter Invincible Spirit.

A really interesting Betway Sagaro Stakes headlines the card at Newcastle.

Moved this year from Ascot, the extended two-mile contest might offer a Gold Cup clue or two and ISPOLINI makes plenty of appeal.

SELECTIONS:

LINGFIELD: 4.20 Mashmoom, 4.55 Soldier’s Son, 5.30 Lady Bowthorpe, 6.05 Emraan, 6.40 Good Time Charlie, 7.15 Javelin, 7.50 Mr Poy, 8.25 Thai Power, 9.00 Savitar.

NEWCASTLE: 12.55 Third Kingdom, 1.30 Fortamour, 2.05 Daarik, 2.40 Ispolini, 3.15 Palace Pier, 3.50 Identified, 4.30 Precocity, 5.05 Longroom, 5.40 Colony Queen, 6.15 Awake My Soul. NEWMARKET: 1.15 Count D’Orsay, 1.50 Far Above, 2.25 Queen Power, 3.00 WALDKONIG (NAP), 3.35 Pinatubo, 4.10 Montatham, 4.45 Nahaarr, 5.20 King Ragnar, 5.55 Deja.

DOUBLE: Waldkonig and Far Above.

Pure Beauty (white face) and Pat Cosgrave were easy winners of the Betway EBF Stallions Maiden Fillies Stakes at Newmarket yesterday.