Pallasator warms up for Gold Cup in style

Pallasator already has one QIPCO British Champions Series win on his CV after landing the Doncaster Cup last season. Picture courtesy of Racingfotos.com

Pallasator has a reputation for keeping staff at Sir Mark Prescott on their toes but there are few better stayers around when he is on his best behaviour as he showed when landing the BetVictor Henry II Stakes at Sandown on Thursday night.

The giant seven-year-old gelding will now head for the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot on June 16 – the biggest jewel in the staying category of the QIPCO British Champions Series.

Pallasator, who was ridden by QIPCO British Champions Series columnist Oisin Murphy, kept on stoutly to win a muddling contest and his performance needs marking up because he lacked a recent run and was conceding weight to his three rivals.

“He will run in the Ascot Gold Cup now as that is what he was bought for,” Prescott said. “He has to have everything done for him, but if he goes and wins Group races, he can have everything he wants.”

Pallasator already has one QIPCO British Champions Series triumph on his CV, having won last season’s Doncaster Cup.

Another Series winner, Max Dynamite, runaway winner of the Lonsdale Cup at York last term, was sent off 4-7 favourite for the Henry II Stakes.

Willie Mullins, his trainer, was deeply disappointed and could offer no immediate excuse. “I just hope he needed it more than I thought he would,” he said.