Max Dynamite finishing second in the Melbourne Cup© Photo Healy Racing
Former Melbourne Cup runner-up Max Dynamite seeks to take advantage of a significant drop in class by registering his first victory in more than two years at Killarney on Thursday.
Leading amateur Patrick Mullins will take the reins on the seven-year-old, who is trained by his father Willie, for the first time in the John Lane & Sons Tralee (Q.R) Race, as he bids to end a losing streak stretching back to his win in the 2015 renewal of the Lonsdale Cup at York.
It will be the first time the Rich Ricci-owned gelding, who finished down the field in the Galway Hurdle earlier this month, has run on the level since turning in a below-par effort in last year's Ascot Gold Cup.
Mullins said: "I am really looking forward to riding him. I have never ridden him before, but David Casey who rides him at home tells me he is very straightforward, as does Ruby Walsh who says he has no quirks or kinks.
"Since finishing second in the Melbourne Cup two years ago, he has not had much joy and he hasn't won since the race before that at York.
"Willie was just looking for a race to get his head in front and get some confidence back and this looks a nice opportunity. It is a much easier opportunity than taking on Group horses."
Leading the opposition to Max Dynamite is the Jessica Harrington-trained Sandymount Duke who is owned by his breeder Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones and was fifth in the Galway Plate, having previously rattled up a hat-trick with two wins over fences and one on the level.
Mullins added: "We will have to take Sandymount Duke very seriously, though, as he is rated in the high 150s over fences and won a maiden on the Flat at Leopardstown quite well.
"You can never take anything Jessica Harrington sends out lightly but with his rating, you would hope our horse can get back to winning ways.
"His performance at York two years ago was great and I will have to ride him like Frankie Dettori to remind him how to win.
"He came out of the Galway Hurdle fine. Going for the Galway Hurdle having not run over hurdles in a long time was hard, but the money on offer meant it was worth rolling the dice.
"He made a bad mistake halfway and that was race over as you can't afford to do that in a race like that."
