HEAVY METAL (33-1) gave trainer Mark Johnston and jockey Joe Fanning back-toback victories in the Longines International Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

After Galician struck at the same price 12 months ago, Heavy Metal was another surprise winner of this valuable heritage handicap over seven furlongs. The fouryear- old defied a 3lb penalty in tremendous style as he got home one length ahead of Dont Bother Me (16-1), with the well-backed Watchable (10-1) another neck away in third and Heaven’s Guest (20-1) fourth.

Galician ended up running at Glorious Goodwood in the Betfred Mile, in which he was fourth, and Heavy Metal still holds an entry in Friday’s big handicap.

Johnston said: “We know he’s got a chance of getting in now, and there’s no reason why he shouldn’t go.

“We’ll have a chat and think about things.

“These big handicaps, how can you predict the result?

“It’s not a surprise, though. He was surprisingly big odds for a horse who has steadily been coming back to form. He’s a really good horse and It’s great to see him back.”

PALLASATOR boosted his claims for the Betfred Ebor with an emphatic victory in the GL Events Owen Brown Handicap at Ascot yesterday.

Sir Mark Prescott’s imposing five-yearold loomed up menacingly alongside long-timer Double Bluff and stormed away in the last half a furlong to score by two lengths.

Bookmakers were impressed, with Paddy Power cutting Pallasator to 8-1 favourite, from 12s, for the prestigious York handicap on August 23.

“He will run in the Ebor, in which I have an adequate record,” Prescott said of the 3-1 scorer.

“He’ll get a penalty, which he could have done without, but he’s a good horse who is entitled to go there and deserves the entry.

“I don’t think the ground matters now that he’s an older horse.”