Pinatubo got back on the winning list with a dominant performance in Sunday’s Gr1 Prix Jean Prat (1400m) at Deauville.
Dropping back in trip after finishing runner-up in the St James’s Palace Stakes last time out, last season’s Champion juvenile looked to have a bit to do two furlongs out as stablemate Well Of Wisdom set the pace however, once William Buick allowed Pinatubo his head the son of Shamardal quickened into the lead and then resisted the challenge wider out from Lope Y Fernandez (Lope de Vega) to score by three-quarters of a length with Malotru (Casamento) 2-1/2 lengths away third. (pic: France Galop)
Appleby told the Racing Post that Pinatubo is unlikely to line up again over a mile.
“It’s something I’ll obviously speak to His Highness (Sheikh Mohammed) about but I would say the Sussex is very unlikely,” Appleby said.
“He’s had two weeks from the Guineas to Ascot and three weeks from Ascot to here so I think he deserves a little bit of a break now.
“We’ll look at the autumn and whether we’ll come back here for the Moulin or stick at seven furlongs in the Foret, we’ll see. The main thing is he got the job done, which has sealed his three-year-old campaign.”
Pinatubo ran the trip in 1:23.03 and Appleby said that it was Sheikh Mohammed who was keen to have a third crack at a Group 1 in five weeks.
“As always Sheikh Mohammed gave so much confidence to me and the team,” Appleby said. “When you get beat in a Guineas and then just chinned in a St James’s Palace, it can be hard to take.
“I spoke to him ten days ago and told him how well the horse was and he said to me, ‘If you’re happy, go again.’ Thankfully we’ve managed to deliver the right result this time.”