Saturday's G1 QIPCO 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket has attracted a field of 15, with Godolphin's Charlie Appleby-trained champion juvenile Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal) favourably drawn in seven as he faces a quartet from Ballydoyle headed by Ryan Moore's mount Arizona (Ire) (No Nay Never) with Frankie Dettori on the G3 Tattersalls S. winner Wichita (Ire) (No Nay Never). Arizona will break from stall 13 alongside Julian Richmond-Watson's TDN Rising Star Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in 12 with Qatar Racing's Kameko (Kitten's Joy) another notable to be drawn in the high numbers widest of all in 15. Godolphin's other two representatives, the G3 Autumn S. first and second Military March (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) and Al Suhail (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), are drawn three and five respectively. Saeed bin Suroor has booked Hector Crouch for the former, while Al Suhail adds to Appleby's already-strong hand with James Doyle on board.
Kinross created a sensation when recording an eight-length debut success over seven furlongs on Newmarket's Rowley Mile track in October, but was hampered early on when fifth in the rearranged G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy on Newcastle's Tapeta the following month. Jockey Harry Bentley has the task of steering the homebred as he bids for an initial Classic success.
“I can't wait to get back on him. I've sat on him a few times at home and he feels really good,” he said. “I've not had many feel like he did on their debut. He gave me all the feelings that day of a very good horse. We've put him in the deep end once before, as we don't doubt that the ability is there. We think there is a lot of potential there.”
Bentley is not downhearted about outcome of the Futurity Trophy. “At Newcastle he got a big bump off one of the Aidan O'Brien horses and I don't think people realised how much of a bump it was. That didn't help us trying to get in the right rhythm,” he added. “He didn't get a clear run at a crucial stage and I'm not saying he would have won, but he would have been closer. You have to remember that was only his second run and the likes of Kameko were more battle-hardened than he was.”
Pinatubo will be on everyone's mind and Bentley is no exception as he ponders tactics ahead of Britain's first Classic of 2020. “I know Pinatubo is clearly an exceptional talent, but we are all having our first run of the season as 3-year-olds and anything can happen from two to three,” he said. “We don't know if he still has that definite advantage or if we have made up the gap, all I can say is that I'm very happy with Kinross and he is in good form.”
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