Pallasator will need Max effort in Sandown feature

Qatar Racing's high-class stayer Pallasator will have to concede weight all round when making his season's debut at Sandown tomorrow evening.

The Sir Mark Prescott-trained gelding tackles the Gr.3 Betvictor Henry II Stakes over a trip just in excess of two miles, and while a little more ease in the ground would suit, his trainer is not worried about the likely going.

Sir Mark says of the five-runner race: ‚"It's a small but competitive field and our 4lb Group-race winning penalty means Timeform and the official handicapper have Max Dynamite well clear on his Melbourne Cup form.‚"

The Willie Mullins-trained Max Dynamite finished second in last year's Gr.1 Melbourne Cup, and if reproducing that effort would be very hard to beat, but Pallasator won the Gr.2 Doncaster Cup and was then a close fourth in the Gr.1 QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup at the end of last season, and would be a danger on his best form.

Oisin Murphy will ride Pallasator for the second time in his career. A good run would tee him up for a crack at next month's Gr.1 Ascot Gold Cup.