Sprinters Stakes (G1) - Profiles of Scenic Blast and the connections

Scenic Blast (c) SLICKPIX

The Sprinters Stakes welcomes its first horse from abroad in three years on Sunday, Australian Racehorse of the Year and Global Sprint Challenge leader Scenic Blast.

Scenic Blast, bred at the Durham Lodge Thoroughbred Stud, was claimed in the Magic Million sale for A$85,000 as a yearling at the behest of Daniel Morton, who would eventually go on to train him. The son of Scenic out of Daughter's Charm won his debut in February 2007 and four starts later in September, captured his first graded title, winning the Grade 3 McNeil Stakes at Caulfield.

In January this year at Flemington, Scenic Blast took the opening race of the eight-legged Global Sprint Challenge, dropping big names Weekend Hussler and Apache Cat to post the first Grade 1 victory of his career in the 1,000-meter Coolmore Lightning Stakes. He sagged to fifth in the Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield the following month, but rebounded to win the Newmarket Handicap in March over 22 runners, again at Flemington.

Scenic Blast

Scenic Blast's performance in the Grade 1 Newmarket Handicap paved the way for his international debut in the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, the second race of the Global Sprint Challenge. Scenic Blast was made the top pick in the King's Stand Stakes, and responded by beating a field of 15 from the rear along the 1,000-meter straight - the win that set him up for top thoroughbred honors in Australia, a nation renowned for producing some of the best sprinters in the world, such as 2006 Global Sprint Challenge champion Takeover Target.

Scenic Blast was again the No. 1 choice for the 1,200-meter Darley July Cup at Newmarket - the third leg of the Global Sprint Challenge - but the gelding fizzled to 10th among 13. The Scenic Blast camp quickly turned their focus toward the Sprinters Stakes, and spent the summer at Newmarket preparing for the race, avoiding the long extra trip back to Australia. The only discernible knock - and if it can be called a knock, that is - on the horse is that Scenic Blast has never previously run righthanded, something Morton has said will not be an issue whatsoever for the race.

Daniel Morton

With a win at Nakayama weekend, Scenic Blast, who has eight wins from 19 starts and is the highest rated sprinter in the world alongside Hong Kong's Sacred Kingdom, can cash in the Global Sprint Challenge US$1 million bonus for any horse who manages to win three Grade 1 races in three different countries. US$750,000 of the bonus will go to owner Elio Galante, the rest to Morton.

The 53-year-old Galante, who runs a housing construction company in Perth with his wife Jacqui, went into horse ownership in 1993. With Plastered, Galante won the 2004 Victoria Derby - his first taste of Grade 1 success - as well as the 2005 Western Australia Derby. In addition to the three Grade 1 titles he has with Scenic Blast, Galante also has won the middle-distance Golden Doomben Cup with Scenic Shot.

The 37-year-old Morton is the son of former trainer Len Morton, whose credit to fame remains the Brisbane Cup victory in 1978 with Muros. Daniel rode for his father as an apprentice before obtaining a training license in 2003, with Len retreating from the front line to support his son. Scenic Blast's win in the Coolmore Lightning Stakes was the first Grade 1 victory for Morton, who works the horse himself and also trains Scenic Shot for Galante. Morton is eyeing Grade 1 win No. 5 in the Sprinters Stakes.

With Steven Arnold, who has been in the saddle for all three of Scenic Blast's Grade 1 victories, committed to mounts in Australia, Mark Zhara will step inside the irons for the Sprinters Stakes. Zhara made his debut in October 1998 in South Australian racing, and since 2004, has had spells in Hong Kong, Singapore and India.

The 27-year-old with three Grade 1 titles to his credit will be riding in Japan for the first time, but his international experience should not deter him from mustering the most out of Scenic Blast. Zhara has been hurt often during the last two years, having broken his wrist, ankle and even his hip, but has overcome each injury with tremendous spirit which should serve him well in the Sprinters Stakes.