Punters are already looking ahead to next April’s race at Newmarket.
The opening race of the final day at Royal Ascot has sent shockwaves through one ante-post market.
Pinatubo bolted up in the Chesham Stakes and was promptly installed as the 10/1 joint-favourite for next year’s 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Charlie Appleby’s charge is as short as 8/1 for the famous Group 1 in places, with 16/1 the standout price on offer.
Punters have wasted no time either, with 66% of bets on the market in the past hour going his way.
Heavily backed before the race today and going off at 3/1, the Godolphin colt showed an incredible turn of foot to beat short-priced favourite Lope Y Fernandez, breaking the juvenile track record in the 7f opener in the process.
That rival is priced as short as 16/1 for the Guineas, with 25/1 the best price. Aidan O’Brien’s colt is also the second most backed since today’s race with 30% of bets.
Unbeaten in two starts over 6f this season, most recently at Epsom, the two-year-old successfully stepped up to 7f this afternoon and the suggestion is he could go further.
Oddschecker spokesperson George Elek: “We knew Pinatubo could perform over 6f, his victory in the Woodcote was evidence enough of that, but how he’d fare over the extra furlong was a bit of an unknown.
“Setting a new juvenile course record, he showed he’s more than capable of coping with extra distance and it’s no surprise punters fancy him to step up to a mile next spring.”
