PINATUBO lost his unbeaten record in the 2000 Guineas on Saturday, and he may have lost his seat at Royal Ascot too.
Charlie Appleby’s hotpot could only manage third in the first Classic of the summer and he now needs to pass a stalls test before he races again.
It comes after his trainer used a ticket to ensure his horse would be loaded last into the gates before the Guineas.
It was his third request in a year and now means his St James’s Palace Stakes bid depends on the BHA bringing back stalls tests before the Royal Meeting.
But they are currently banned until further notice – as are barrier trials – as part of the safety procedures brought in for the return of racing behind closed doors.
Discussions will take place in the coming days around the possibility of bringing back the two measures – both aimed at improving horses’ behaviour at the track – as soon as possible.
But the Royal Meeting is only eight days away and it is no foregone conclusion.
Brant Dunshea, the BHA’s Head of Raceday Operations, said post-2000 Guineas: “Pinatubo has taken his third late load ticket in the space of 12 months so he is required to take a stalls test before he runs.
“As it happens we have been working through some solutions for introducing some tests from next week if we can as there are a lot of trainers in the same situation.
“So we hope to make some decisions around some options this week, hopefully with some potential at some racecourses this week if we have capacity.”
On Sunday the BHA clarified that stalls tests would be introduced as soon as possible; music to Appleby’s ears.
A spokesman said: “The plan has been to look at reintroducing stalls tests as soon as we’re able and we’ll be drawing up plans this week”
Pinatubo remains an 11-8 shot for the Ascot Group 1 over a mile with Ladbrokes, with Aidan O’Brien’s 2000 Guineas second Wichita at 13-8.
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