General Salute is aiming to continue his unbeaten autumn campaign in Saturday’s Hall Mark Stakes at Randwick, but the progressive sprinter faces a pair of significant obstacles in the Group 3 feature.

The four-year-old has drawn the outside alley in a field of 11 following two early scratchings and also carries a five-kilogram weight increase from his last start win in the Star Kingdom Stakes (1200m).

Despite the challenges, co-trainer Sterling Alexiou is confident in how the gelding is performing at home.

“He is airborne this preparation,” Alexiou said.

“He hasn’t had a thing go wrong and he will run really well.

“He is up five kilos and has the widest barrier, they’re our only concerns, but we can’t fault him.”

General Salute has scored wins this prep at both Kembla Grange and Rosehill. His only previous start at Randwick over 1200 metres resulted in a runner-up finish behind Mumbai Muse in the Listed Brian Crowley Stakes.

The gelding has displayed a strong turn of foot this campaign, typically settling midfield or worse before unleashing late, and Alexiou believes Randwick’s spacious straight will play to his strengths.

“He jumps really well, he just doesn’t quite have that muster to go with them early over six furlongs, but I think the Randwick 1200 will suit him,” Alexiou said.

“It will give him a chance to balance up and get in a good rhythm and his last couple of starts he has peeled off some really good sectionals.

“If he keeps going the way he’s going he will be really hard to beat on Saturday.”

The Hall Mark Stakes has been a proven stepping stone into Queensland’s winter features, with 2017 winner Redzel going on to win the Doomben 10,000, while 2019 victor Trekking followed up with a Stradbroke Handicap triumph.