- 2019 European two-year-old Classifications published
- Pinatubo handed end-of-season rating of 128, the highest since Celtic Swing’s 130 in 1994
Pinatubo, trained by Charlie Appleby and owned by Godolphin, was today officially recognized as the European Champion two-year-old of 2019 with the highest rating achieved by a juvenile in Europe in 25 years. His end-of-year rating of 128, published as part of the 2019 European two-year-old Classifications, is the loftiest since Celtic Swing (1994) and Arazi (1991) were each rated 130.
Pinatubo completed a six-race unbeaten season with success in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket. However, it was his wins in the Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes at the Curragh and the Qatar Vintage Stakes at Goodwood that set him apart historically.
The BHA’s Lead two-year-old Handicapper Graeme Smith said:
“Pinatubo looked a potentially outstanding two-year-old when thrashing a competitive field in the Vintage Stakes and his next performance in the National Stakes was breathtaking – the kind you rarely see in top company – as he powered nine lengths clear of Armory and Arizona in a top-class time.
“This was one of the great two-year-old performances, and the best by any two-year-old in the last 25 years.”
2019 was a stellar year for Pinatubo’s sire, Shamardal, who was also responsible for the joint-second highest rated juvenile in Earthlight and the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Victor Ludorum.
The Champion Filly was Millisle, who achieved a rating of 115 for her success in the Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes.
Mark Bird, Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Handicapper, said:
“Millisle’s position at the top of the two-year-old filly rankings is a fitting finale to a juvenile season that can only be described as sensational for handler Jessica Harrington, who trained an amazing 21 individual two-year-old fillies to success in 2019.
“Millisle’s victory at Newmarket, when she defeated three Group 2 and two Group 3 winners, was the most substantive piece of form produced by any two-year-old filly in Europe in 2019. She deservedly emerges as Champion in the division following in the footsteps of a long list of fillies, including Marling, Queen’s Logic, Tiggy Wiggy and Clemmie, who were all crowned Champion two-year-old filly after winning this race.”
There wasn’t great depth numerically this year with 40 horses rated at 110 and above, the joint-lowest total of recent times, with the average this century being 50.
Five horses from France was an upturn on a poor 2018 but still below the average since 2000, but that does include the Group 1 winners Earthlight, Victor Ludorum and Mkfancy. Germany is represented by three horses, which is the first time in a decade that more than one German horse has qualified.
Notes to editors:
- The full 2019 European two-year-old Classification can be found HERE
- Charts which put the ratings achieved by Pinatubo and Millisle into historical perspective can be found here:
PINATUBO – Champion European two-year-olds 1988 – 2019
MILLISLE – Champion European two-year-old fillies 1988 – 2019