Pinatubo rated higher than Frankel
It is official, Pinatubo is a better juvenile than Frankel, having earned a rating of 128, the highest figure assigned to a two-year-old in 25 years, for his sensational performance in the National Stakes at the Curragh.
The Godolphin-owned colt extended his unbeaten record to five with his nine-length demolition of some smart rivals that day and Graeme Smith, the British Horseracing Authority’s handicapper of two-year-olds, has given him a revised rating of 128.
Pinatubo’s new figure puts him 2lb ahead of Frankel, who ended his juvenile season in 2010 as the jointtop rated of his generation along with Dream Ahead.
Smith said: “You have got to be very impressed with what he has done so far, haven’t you? We are not saying he is a better horse than Frankel, but so far he has achieved more as a two-year-old than Frankel did. Frankel went on to achieve a rating of 136 as a three-year-old, and 140 as a four-year-old, so Pinatubo has still got a lot of improving to do.”
The last two-year-old to be rated higher than Pinatubo was Celtic Swing, with a mark of 130 in 1994, and Smith said: “Celtic Swing won the Racing Post Trophy by 12 lengths, with the runner-up, Annus Mirabilis, having previously won the Somerville Tattersalls Stakes.
“Another horse you can compare him to is Xaar – rated 127 after winning the Dewhurst by seven lengths from Tamarisk, who had previously won a three races.
“In my opinion, Pinatubo has achieved more than Xaar but not quite as much as Celtic Swing, although 128 is his current rating and not his end-of-season rating.”
Pinatubo looks set to be given one final outing this autumn in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes on Oct 12, but whether he is able to increase his rating remains to be seen.
“The more you look through his form, the better it looks, and it’s backed up by very good times,” said Smith.
“The clock does not usually lie – but it is nice to see him winning in good times by five lengths and nine lengths, as he has on his last couple of starts,” said Smith.
“We’ll see what turns up to take him on in the Dewhurst. It could be that those who might be able to give him a proper examination might duck him to try to win a Group One elsewhere, but we will see.”