WHILE Pinatubo (Shamardal) has remained steady on the stud fee front since going to Dalham Hall at £35,000, taking a small drop this year for the first time to £30,000, he has been waiting for his first group winner. His first crop three-year-olds had delivered three stakes winners, and a few pattern-placed runners, but they seemed to be somewhat mired in listed company.

That has now changed, thanks to Qilin Queen’s trip to France to contest the Group 2 Prix de Malleret at ParisLongchamp. Now a three-time winner, her only time out of the money in seven starts was when she was unplaced in the Oaks. Trained by Ed Walker, Qilin Queen is one of some 38 winners from Pinatubo’s first crop that also includes Croquis and Tipinso, both of whom are stakes winners in France.