James Doyle will partner Pinatubo for the first time this season when he tackles five rivals, including the Irish-trained trio of Circus Maximus, Siskin and Romanised, in a fascinating renewal of the Prix du Moulin at Longchamp on Sunday.
Doyle steered Charlie Appleby's top-class colt to win his first four victories last season, including notable big-race wins in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Vintage at Goodwood.
William Buick took over in the saddle for the National Stakes at the Curragh and the Dewhurst at Newmarket, which sealed his status as the champion juvenile of 2019, and has been on board for each of his three starts this year.
However, with Buick now free to partner Appleby’s stable star Ghaiyyath should he line up for the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown following a change to quarantine protocols in Ireland, Doyle has been called upon for Pinatubo’s French assignment.
Appleby said: "We are in a very privileged position to have two retained world-class jockeys in James and William.
"We have looked at the logistics of it all and hopefully how it’s going to work out. James is going to France on Sunday to ride Pinatubo, who he knows equally as well as William.
"James rode him during the week and was very pleased with him.
"James also rides the two-year-old on Sunday (Naval Crown in the Prix la Rochette), so he’ll have two mounts. We have runners in France later in the week, but we’ll make a decision over the weekend on whether he’ll stay or come back and start his quarantine."
Pinatubo suffered short-priced defeats on his first two starts this season, but was far from disgraced in finishing third in the 2000 Guineas and runner-up in the St James’s Palace Stakes.
He opened his three-year-old account in the seven-furlong Prix Jean Prat at Deauville in July, and Doyle is relishing the opportunity to renew his association with the exciting youngster this weekend.
Doyle said: "I haven’t ridden him since Goodwood last year, so it will be great to get back on board.
"I sat on him on Wednesday morning and he seems in good shape. There’s only the six runners on Sunday, but I think they’ve won 14 Group Ones between them, so it’s a pretty strong renewal to say the least.
"It would be great to get that Group One win over a mile with him. I’ll be having a week off when I come back from France, but if any horse is worth it, you’d think it would be Pinatubo."
The son of Shamardal is one of three runners owned or part-owned by Godolphin, along with Andre Fabre’s pair of Persian King and Victor Ludorum.
Aidan O’Brien’s Circus Maximus and Ken Condon’s Romanised were split by just a nose when first and second 12 months ago and renew rivalry under Ryan Moore and Billy Lee respectively.
The quality sextet is completed by the Ger Lyons-trained Irish 2,000 Guineas hero Siskin, the mount of Colin Keane.
Siskin lost his unbeaten record in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood, but was far from disgraced in finishing third behind the now-retired Mohaather and Circus Maximus.
Lyons was initially lukewarm on the idea of a trip to France for his stable star, but the prospect of drying ground in Paris prompted a rethink.
"This wasn’t our first option. In my head I was always worried about the ground in France being too soft, but the nearer we got to the race the more we realised we had a chance of getting nice ground," Lyons told Sky Sports Racing.
"Thankfully he’s in good order. He’s done his last piece of work and we’re happy with him.
"There’s six runners declared and at this moment in time you’d be very happy that you’re one of the six.
"It throws up a mouthwatering clash with another three-year-old in Pinatubo – it’s good to be in the position to take up a race like this."
